Right Attitudes

Ideas for Impact

Archives for December 2007

Inspirational Quotations #201

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Let your love be stronger than your hate or anger. Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break.
—H. G. Wells (British Novelist)

In an argument, retaliation leads to escalation.
—Unknown

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.
—Albert Einstein (German-born Theoretical Physicist)

There is a strange reluctance on the part of most people to admit that they enjoy life.
—William Lyon Phelps (American Author)

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.
—Albert Einstein (German-born Theoretical Physicist)

The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.
—Malcolm Forbes (American Publisher)

Athletes are driven by commitment to their sport, to themselves, to excellence itself. Commitment fuels the extra mile, the final set, the last quarter, the sprint to the line, going on when the body begs to stop.
—Unknown

When clouds form in the skies we know that rain will follow but we must not wait for it. Nothing will be achieved by attempting to interfere with the future before the time is ripe. Patience is needed.
—I. Ching

You have only one life, and it will soon be past, and only what’s done for God will last.
—Unknown

Life always bursts the boundaries of formulas.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (French Novelist, Aviator)

A gentleman that loves to hear himself talk, will speak more in a minute than he will stand to in a month.
—William Shakespeare (British Playwright)

Inspirational Quotations #200

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The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.
—Ralph Nader (American Activist)

When in danger of becoming too self-important remember what the mother whale told her baby. “When you get to the top and start to ‘blow’ that’s when you get harpooned!”
—Unknown

Where love rules, there is no will to power; where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other.
—Carl Jung (Swiss Psychologist)

If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.
—Buddhist Proverb

Each flower is a soul opening out to nature.
—Gerard de Nerval

I have learned the novice can often see things that the expert overlooks. All that is necessary is not to be afraid of making mistakes, or of appearing naive.
—Abraham Maslow (American Psychologist)

Don’t go through life, grow through life.
—Eric Butterworth

Friends bring out the best in us that other people don’t look hard enough to find.
—Unknown

If you’re not sure whether something is right to do -|Ask yourself how you will feel about it tomorrow.|Will you then think it was right or not?
—Olive Redmond

Inspirational Quotations #199

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If you want to be important – that’s wonderful. If you want to be great – that’s wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s your new definition of greatness – it means that everybody can be great because everybody can serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know the second law of thermodynamics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love…
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (American Civil Rights Leader)

If you have someone special in your life, don’t wait to start loving them. Do not put it off for even one day. Make the choice to love now. Whoever loves you is only on loan from God, and he or she could be taken from you at any moment.
—Unknown

It’s not our job to change other people—it’s our job to love them, while they change themselves.
—Unknown

By the time we hit fifty, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.
—Marie Dressler

Death is not the worst than can happen to men.
—Plato (Ancient Greek Philosopher)

The more we co-operate, the better we operate.
—Unknown

Don’t be someone to please everyone else, but be someone to please yourself.
—Unknown

Success is a product of unremitting attention to purpose.
—Benjamin Disraeli (British Head of State)

You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend or not.
—Isabel Allende

Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle… (or) Einstein’s Theory of Relativity … (or) the Second Theory of Thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (American Civil Rights Leader)

The Art of Remembering Names

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The Sweetest Sound in Any Language

Dale Carnegie’s classic, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” is one of the most popular books on people skills. Here is an excerpt of his discussions on the importance of remembering names.

… a person is more interested in his or her own name than in all the other names on earth put together. Remember that name and call it easily, and you have paid a subtle and very effective compliment. But forget it or misspell it – and you have placed yourself at a sharp disadvantage.

… one of the simplest, most obvious and most important ways of gaining good will was by remembering names and making people feel important – yet how many of us do it?

How Napoléon III Could Remember Names

Napoleon the Third, Emperor of France and nephew of the great Napoleon, boasted that in spite of all his royal duties he could remember the name of every person he met.

His technique? Simple. If he didn’t hear the name distinctly, he said, “So sorry. I didn’t get the name clearly.” Then, if it was an unusual name, he would say, “How is it spelled?”

During the conversation, he took the trouble to repeat the name several times, and tried to associate it in his mind with the person’s features, expression and general appearance.

If the person was someone of importance, Napoleon went to even further pains. As soon as His Royal Highness was alone, he wrote the name down on a piece of paper, looked at it, concentrated on it, fixed it securely in his mind, and then tore up the paper. In this way, he gained an eye impression of the name as well as an ear impression.

The 5R Technique for Remembering Names

Here are five simple tips that can help you remember names. For an example, suppose that you attend an informal gathering of professionals from the financial industry; Renuka is one of the attendees.

  1. Resolve to remember. Habitually, you fail to remember names because you do not make a conscious effort at it. When a person states his/her name, by reflex you reply with a “nice to meet you” while your mind is possibly busy judging the person’s appearance or processing some other information. Consequently, your short-term memory registers the person’s name briefly and discards it before long. Commit to pay attention to the person’s name and deposit it in your longer-term memory.
  2. Review. Ask for a spelling of the person’s name. If required, ask the spelling of how the person’s name is pronounced. For instance, Renuka is pronounced Rae-nu-ka—the ‘e’ is pronounced ‘ae’ as in aerospace. Additionally, note that Renuka sounds like Rebecca.
  3. Relate. Associate the person’s name with somebody you may previously know. Suppose that Renuka states she grew up in Hyderabad, India. Then, you recall that your former colleague, Pavan is from the same city too. You can say, “Renuka, my previous project manager, Pavan, is from Hyderabad too. He spoke often of the Museum of Clocks there. His wife had prepared ethnic food for me; it was hot and spicy.”
  4. Repeat. During your conversations, state the person’s name as frequently as appropriate: “Renuka, what are your thoughts,” or,” that is an interesting observation, Renuka,” or, “thank you for your time, Renuka.”
  5. Record. Following your conversation, step aside if possible and record the person’s name along with a few other details to help capture an impression of the person. For instance, record “Renuka. Sounds like Rebecca. Grew up in Hyderabad, India—same city as Pavan. Black-coloured Mercedes Benz Coupe. MBA in finance from Columbia University. Risk analyst at American Express.”

Concluding Thoughts

Dale Carnegie asserts, “A person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Positive impressions are invaluable. Remembering names is an important social skill—mastering this skill can offer a distinct advantage in your business and personal lives. The secret to remembering names is to make an extra effort to review, relate, repeat and record the names and associations of people for easier recall.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Personal Spaces for Social Interaction
  2. Don’t Let the Latecomers Ruin Your Meeting
  3. How to Be a Great Conversationalist: Ask for Stories
  4. Silence Speaks Louder in Conversations
  5. You’re Worthy of Respect

Inspirational Quotations #198

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Of course I don’t look as busy as the men, I did it right the first time.
—Unknown

Does that mean I never let my friends down? Does that mean the rhythm is always in step? It means that in spite of, or including these issues, I absolutely can count on them. And what is so valuable is that I don’t believe it is open to question.
—Unknown

Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.
—Mary Tyler Moore (American Actor)

What then was the commencement of the whole matter? Existence that multiplied itself for sheer delight of being and plunged into numberless trillions of forms so that it might find itself innumerably.
—Sri Aurobindo (Indian Yogi, Nationalist)

There is one thing you can do, and one way of doing it, that is better than anyone else on this entire planet.
—Deepak Chopra (Indian-born American Physician)

5 most important words – I am proud of you.|4 most important words – What do you think?|3 most important words – If you please.|2 most important words – Thank you.|1 most important word – Love.
—Gordon B. Hinckley (American Mormon Religious Leader)

He who reigns within himself and rules his passions, desires, and fears is more than a king.
—John Milton (English Poet)

5 most important words—I am proud of you. 4 most important words—What do you think? 3 most important words—If you please. 2 most important words—Thank you. 1 most important word—Love.
—Gordon B. Hinckley (American Mormon Religious Leader)

On life’s journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life nothing can destroy him; if he has conquered greed nothing can limit his freedom.
—Buddhist Teaching

He who does not attempt to make peace|When small discords arise,|Is like the bee’s hive which leaks drops of honey -|Soon, the whole hive collapses.
—Nagarjuna (Indian Buddhist Philosopher)

The most important thing I’ve learned since becoming CEO is context. It’s how your company fits in with the world and how you respond to it.
—Jeffrey Immelt (American Businessperson)

Cherish Your Loved Ones

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Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘My Song’

Rabindranath Tagore was an influential philosopher, visual artist, playwright, novelist, and composer from Bengal, India. Popularly known as Gurudev, he won the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature.

‘My Song’ is from ‘The Crescent Moon,’ Tagore’s translations into English of a collection of Bengali poetry.

This song of mine will wind its music around you,
my child, like the fond arms of love.

The song of mine will touch your forehead
like a kiss of blessing.

When you are alone it will sit by your side and
whisper in your ear, when you are in the crowd
it will fence you about with aloofness.

My song will be like a pair of wings to your dreams,
it will transport your heart to the verge of the unknown.

It will be like the faithful star overhead
when dark night is over your road.

My song will sit in the pupils of your eyes,
and will carry your sight into the heart of things.

And when my voice is silenced in death,
my song will speak in your living heart.

My Grandma

My grandma, Smt. B. S. Mahadevamma passed away two Saturdays ago, on the 24th of November, eight days before I would have seen her in Bangalore, India. As her first grandchild, I retain very fond memories of her.

Last year December, she had recollected her experiences growing up, discussed her large family and had described change during her lifetime. When I would return this year, I had promised to, among other things, watch her favorite movies with her and take her on an airplane. Frail and old, she was filled with tears as she had come to the door to bid me goodbye. Deep down in my mind, I had wondered if I would see her again. Yet, I had said, “Grandma, I will see you next year.”

Goodbye Grandma; I will miss you!

Call for Action

Cherish your loved ones everyday.

Pick-up the phone and call them. Write to them. Better yet, visit them. Be grateful for the difference they have made in your life.

There may never be a tomorrow.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Seinfeld, Impermanence, Death, Grief, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed
  2. Bereavement and Death
  3. Why Your Employees Don’t Trust You—and What to Do About it
  4. Mindfulness Can Disengage You from Others
  5. The More You Can Manage Your Emotions, the More Effective You’ll Be

Inspirational Quotations #197

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We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
—Friedrich Koenig (German Inventor)

Far away, there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations; I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.
—Louisa May Alcott (American Novelist)

Everything in the world may be endured, except continual prosperity.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German Poet)

The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants them to do, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.
—Theodore Roosevelt (American Head of State)

There is a world out there waiting for me—and I intend to conquer it.
—Unknown

Yesterday is past—we cannot change it. Tomorrow is the future—it is unknown. But today is a gift—that’s why it is called the present.
—Unknown

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.
—Louisa May Alcott (American Novelist)

Fear is something to be moved through, not something to be turned from.
—Peter McWilliams (American Author)

The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.
—Abbie Hoffman

All our tomorrows depend on today.
—Anonymous

Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)