Self Improvement International - September 2019

Self Improvement International SEPTEMBER 2019 Issue

Real Work and Hot Air Never Stop Learning Top reasons to become an Author and many more !!!

Wealth of the Wise

Self Improvement International Wealth of the Wise September 2019 Issue

Copyright Š Thejendra Sreenivas. All Rights Reserved

Self Improvement International September 2019 Issue 82/1, Second Main Road, Sheshadripuram, Bangalore 560020, India. www.thejendra.com

Publisher - Thejendra Sreenivas Email - thejendra@yahoo.com & thejendrabs@gmail.com Single Issue: Rs 30 (India) & US$0.99 (Worldwide) Annual Subscription: Rs 360 (India) & US$9.99 (Worldwide)

Self Improvement International is a monthly electronic magazine edited and published by Thejendra Sreenivas on behalf of his private Seven Sages Consultancy, Bangalore, India.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by information storage and retrieval

systems, or in any language without the written permission of the editor.

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In this issue

From the Editor’s Desk

01

What my Lawyer makes me say

03

What Else?

05

Real Work and Hot Air

07

Workplace Management

The Lost Horse Principle Spirituality

22

In this issue (cont’d) The 80-20 Principle Success Principles

Top Reasons to Become an Author Writing & Publishing

Are you becoming Arrogant?

Leadership

Never Stop Learning Learning

Stop Overthinking Self Improvement

31

41

50

61

71

In this issue (cont’d) The Sweetness of doing Nothing Personal Development

Children Section Writing & Publishing

Comics – The Lost Priceless Treasures Nostalgia

A Few Questions FAQs

80

89

90

98

From the Editor’s Desk

H

ey, thanks for subscribing to my unique and delightful Self Improvement

International magazine. This is a magazine to be read, retained, remembered, and re-read from your electronic bookshelf. Each magazine carries a bunch of sparkling articles on Personal Development, Stress Management, Humor,

Frugality,

Leadership,

Resiliency,

Workplace Issues, Spirituality, Life Skills, Satire, Writing, Publishing, and an occasional Harsh Advice.

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Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

Simplicity is the hallmark of this treasure chest. Unlike the hordes of dazzling magazines that you see in the newsstands the contents here are eye and eReader friendly, and not crowded with complex cosmetics, awesome advertisements, and gorgeous graphics that can distract or irritate your eyes. Like a basket of delicious fruits each issue can dramatically transform your personal and professional life.

Think of this magazine as your electronic personal coach who can make you superior to the rest of the crowd. Give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.

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2

What my Lawyer makes me say

D

isclaimer: Although this magazine has been prepared with utmost care, neither

the author, publisher, seller, editor, or any other party associated with this magazine can accept any liability for any direct or indirect damages caused by following the advice given here. All opinions, ideas, and advice expressed here are largely my personal or the contributor opinions and don’t necessarily represent the opinion of any other organization or person, including my employer, my clients or their agents. Any reference to any persons or businesses, whether living or dead, existing or 3

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

defunct,

is

purely

unintentional.

Self

Improvement International cannot vouch for or certify the claims made by advertisers and is not liable for any cause of action arising out of such claims. All disputes are subject to the courts and competent forums in Bangalore, India only.

Images used in this magazine are from open image sources like Openclipart, Pexels, etc., that are free for personal and commercial use.

My full thanks and attribution to the respective artists.

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4

What Else?

W

ise men say that one should never have any desire for wealth and must

always be prepared to lead a life of virtuous poverty. Also, writing articles is viewed by many as a hobby that doesn’t deserve any compensation for the writer as they must write purely for the passion and not for money. But writing involves enormous effort and we don’t live

on

such

magnanimous

money-free

planets. By becoming a subscriber to this magazine you help me create valuable content 5

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

for writers and executives. Thank you for being so generous.

Also, if you are a giving kind of person, then I am an accepting kind. So, if you have any unused excess wealth stashed away in Swiss Banks, Spare Jewels, Precious Gems, Spanish Gold Bars, Priceless Paintings, Rare Dinosaur Bones, Asteroid Pieces, Unused Rolls-Royce, Private Jets, Luxury Ships, or even an Exotic Island or Kingdom somewhere, please feel free to donate them to me along with all applicable taxes. Such humble gifts can nudge me to scribble more articles that could be of use to someone, somewhere on our lonely planet ď Š

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Real Work and Hot Air Workplace Management

A

general dictionary defines jargon as – “Unintelligible or meaningless talk or

writing, gibberish. Any talk or writing that one does not understand.� And business jargon is 7

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

the art of talking or writing about various business

issues

using

complicated

and

confusing words. Now why is this done? The simple answer is organizations and business leaders these days fear simplicity, and this is why they make things complex by using business jargon, complex words, and so on.

If you have observed any corporate communications

today,

most

businesses

deliberately avoid easy and simple words when they want to convey a message. Instead, they use

complex,

complicated,

and

often

meaningless words to impress the recipients.

They use all kinds of big words, nonsense words and gibberish in the hope of impressing their audiences with their superior intellect.

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This is because people believe complexity gives them an aura of security and superiority.

For example, just look at the kind of ridiculous job advertisements these days. The sentences below are real ones picked up from some newspaper advertisements of a few reputed multinational organizations situated in India.

We are looking for high value employees dedicated to delivering innovation to assist our clients in high performance delivery. The employee must be a class of his own and raise his or her sights above the horizon.

Future Leaders Required. We are looking for a person to lead, motivate, and create a high performance team capable of continuous 9

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

innovation and excellence in working for a global leader.

We are looking for leaders who have the challenge to outdo themselves, and be a winner all the way.

We are looking for candidates who are bubbling, energetic, and invigorating to join a sales team of a global winner who can swim in an ocean of opportunities.

Aren’t they ridiculous? Have you seen such people around you who can lay a golden egg every day? Observe, none of the above sentences have any real meaning, nor is it possible to hire truckloads of such candidates.

Next visit any business website and you only see plenty of meaningless colorful words, self10

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

congratulatory

sentences

and

lot

of

trumpeting about their products, services and the special breed of people they have. Words like synergy, value add, core, catalyst, vision, mission, information-centric, people oriented, horizontal and vertical solutions, etc., are commonly and generously used in every brochure, presentations, websites, speeches, etc., to give the audience an impression of superiority.

For example, if you are buying any product, service or just about anything online it is nearly impossible for you to get the required essential details like specifications, cost, etc., quickly without first wading through several kilometers of jargon describing how great the company is, their fantastic ever smiling people, 11

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

their immense passion they have for serving you, and so on.

Now, as a workplace leader you must learn to reject such complexity, jargon, hot air, and other modern ailments, and instead seek simplicity in everything. Simplicity is less trouble. If you are unable to reject complexity it can create unnecessary stress, anxiety, and confusion. And you will be wasting time chasing mirages. It is only when things are simple you can achieve greatness, speed and clarity.

Hence, always insist on simplicity and stubbornly avoid complexity wherever possible even if it makes you appear simplistic.

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Remember the essence of all advanced knowledge is simplicity and clarity.

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Tips for practicing this technique Somebody once jokingly said, ‘In the real world there is no such thing as algebra’.

Similarly, in reality there is no need for unnecessary business jargon. Hence, it is necessary to distinguish between reality and hype in the workplace, especially to avoid stress and anxiety chasing hype and hot air. If jargon is getting you down, be firm and say that you do not understand jargon and colorful language.

Employees when hit by complexity and business jargon, are afraid to ask for specifics for the fear of being branded as a simpleton.

But do not get overwhelmed by hot air and flamboyance. Irrespective of the tall claims of 15

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

such advertisements everyone, from the janitor to the CEO has to do some real work, and that is what gets things done for achieving real success and money.

Many employees and organizations thrive on complexity. Very often, business speakers try to dazzle the audience with high sounding words, colorful presentations and all sorts of gimmicks in the hope of doing effective communications. But usually they end up doing exactly the opposite, which is ineffective communication and confusing the audience.

However, you need not join the bandwagon if you don’t want to. It is not a crime to be simple and old-fashioned like a whisky manufacturer who claims, ‘We are old fashioned, and proud of it.’

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Do not be afraid to be simple and straightforward in the fog of complex business jargon. Don’t become a fake due to peer pressure or to avoid criticism. Investigate and concentrate

on

the

real

work.

Reject

complexity without hesitation. For example, purchasing a simple calculator can be expressed in two ways, simple and complex.

Simple way: We need to buy a calculator for our accounting work.

Complex way: We need to procure the tools necessary to be productive and achieve our business objectives.

What I have observed in my 28+ plus years in the workplace is every manager who would speak business jargon would eventually turn 17

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

about to be extremely hollow. They were all covering up for their lack of subject and operational knowledge by hiding behind jargon. You should not become like that.

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Quotes by famous people I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it - Edith Sitwell Frankness is a jewel; only the young can afford it - Mark Twain Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication Vinci Be frank and explicit. That is the right line to take when you wish to conceal your own mind and to confuse the minds of others - Benjamin Disraeli You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage.

Say just what you mean to do on every occasion, and take it for granted that you mean to do right - Robert E Lee 20

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False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil - Socrates Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction - E. F. Schumacher.

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21

The Lost Horse Principle Spirituality

L

ong ago in a village in China, there lived a man who owned a wonderful horse. So

beautiful was this horse that people came from all villages around just to admire it. They 22

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

told him he was blessed and lucky to own such a horse.

But the owner always had one sentence to say, - “Maybe, but what seems like a blessing may be a curse."

One day, the horse ran away and didn’t come back. Nobody knew where it was. People came to say how sorry they were for his bad luck.

But the owner again had a similar answer – “Maybe, but what seems like a curse may be a blessing."

The villagers thought he was cranky as any other person would have wept at such a misfortune. But a few weeks later, the horse returned and it was not alone. It was followed 23

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

by several other wild horses as magnificent as the one that ran away. Based on the law of the land, all those horses became his property. He was rich with horses. Again his neighbors came to congratulate him on his good fortune. But the owner’s answer was the same – “Maybe, but what seems like a blessing may be a curse."

Shortly after that his only son tried to ride one of the wild horses. But he was thrown from it and broke his leg. The man's neighbors came to say how sorry they were. Surely, he had been cursed. But the owner gave the same answer again.

Some weeks later the king came through that village and started drafting every ablebodied young man for a war that he had 24

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

started. But he did not select the son because his leg was broken. But most of those who went from the village were killed or injured in the war. Only that man's son survived because of his broken leg.

To this day, in that village, they say, "What seems like a blessing may be a curse. What seems like a curse may be a blessing."

Even today in China, whenever a bad thing happens in China, someone will say “Sai Weng Shi Ma” (Remember “The Old Man Who Lost His Horse”) to remind themselves and others that apparently bad things sometimes have a silver lining.

Now let us look at some takeaways from this unique parable. Very often, when a good event 25

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

occurs everybody thinks it is good luck, but over time its end results could be disastrous.

For example, you may get lucky in business with a few small deals and in that confidence you may

invest

beyond your

financial

capabilities, which may turn out to be a disaster. In the same way, an unlucky event now can bring great happiness at a later stage.

For example, you may lose a steady job and that misfortune may spur you to become an independent consultant who can earn twice what your earlier job was paying. Therefore, you should learn to look at events in your life from a calm perspective and not get too happy when good things happen, or become depressed when bad things happen. However, I am not advising that you should never feel 26

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

sand when misfortunes occur, but what this story teaches you is to move on with life no matter what.

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Do not get too attached to anything like jobs, money, property, friendships, etc., as they will hold you hostage. A career counsellor once said that many people who lost their jobs used to come back to him later and say, - "Losing my job was a terrible thing then, but now I feel that was the best thing that ever happened to me.�

Become like the horse owner. Regardless of the situation, he remained stoic and poised.

He understood that the ultimate outcome of an event is uncertain. There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be a gift in disguise.

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Finally, the moral of the story is - When something appears to be a bad situation it may not truly be a bad situation. It might be indirectly good if you give it time. Bad situations change to good situations, good situations change to bad situations.

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30

The 80-20 Principle Success Principles

I

f you’ve studied business or economics you would have probably heard the concept of

80/20 or the Pareto Principle. What exactly is this 80/20 principle? The 80/20 principle is 31

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

one of the great secrets of highly effective people and organizations. Before we get into the nuts and bolts of this concept and how we can apply this in our life let us first look at the man behind this concept.

Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian philosopher and economist. Legend has it that he noticed that 20% of the pea plants in his garden generated 80% of the healthy pea pods. This observation made him to think about uneven distribution. He then investigated about wealth

among

people

and

surprisingly

discovered that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by just 20% of the population. Next, he investigated different industries and found that 80% of production typically came from just 20% of the companies.

32

He then

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

generalized this as - 80% of results will come from just 20% of the actions.

We can apply this Pareto’s rule to almost any situation and also to improve our productivity. Here are three ways to apply the 80/20 principle in your life.

Goal setting - For example, you can use it to prioritize your tasks for days, weeks, and months. Take a sheet of paper and write down ten goals or activities to be done. Then ask yourself - If you could do only one or two of those ten activities today, which two goals would be the most beneficial, important, or useful to tackle?

Then pick the next set of goals. After you complete this exercise, you will discover that 33

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

the most important ones (or about 20 percent of your goals) will help or reward you more than the others.

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What are you busy with? - You often see people busy all day long but seem to accomplish very little. They get up early in the morning and go to bed late, but at the end of the day none of their tasks will be complete.

This is because they are busy working on tasks that are of low value while avoiding or procrastinating on the activities that make a real difference to their careers, talents, or companies.

Hence, the most valuable tasks you should tackle each day should be the hardest or most complex as the rewards for completing them can be huge. Hence, before you begin work every day ask yourself - Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or in the bottom 80 percent? The concept is simple. You should 36

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

resist the temptation to clear or tackle small things first. If you choose to start your day working on low value tasks, then you will get into the habit of always starting and working on trivial tasks. The big tasks will remain pending eternally.

How to live 80/10? - To begin living 80/20 today you have to mandatorily focus your energies on what you enjoy. The message is simple. You must concentrate on activities that produce the best outcomes for you. This applies both to business and personal life. For example, the nagging problem for many people is how to make a living from what they really enjoy. We have all heard of the phrase “struggling artist� where countless creative people like writers, musicians, actors, writers, 37

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

etc., struggle to get discovered and work long hours on boring jobs hoping to finally break out, get discovered, and become famous someday. For example, many such artists work a full time job and then work after hours on their creative hobbies. If you are one such person, then your ratio will not be 80/20 but will be probably 20/80 or 10/90. That is, you are spending too much time at a job you don’t like, and by the time you get home you are too exhausted to spend time on your passion. You will feel like you are getting nowhere. This lifestyle is not good as you will go nowhere.

If this is currently your situation then you need start changing those ratios. Start reducing the amount of time you spend at a job you don’t like and increase the amount of 38

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time you spend on your passion. Now you may argue that you can’t do that because you need the money. This may be true, but I am not advising you to start this ratio abruptly by quitting your job. Start the ratio change gradually, reduce your unwanted expenses, reduce spending time on useless activities, maybe start working part time, reduce your desire for unwanted materialistic possessions for which you need work long hours to earn tons of money, and so on.

In a similar way, there are many other areas in which 80/20 can be applied. But these three are sufficient to begin with. If you start these today, then within a few months you will realize how much you can and would have accomplished in your life. Finally, we can end 39

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

this article with a quote by Karen Duffy - In a way, I have simplified my life by setting priorities.

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40

Top Reasons to Become an Author Writing & Publishing

M

any people dream of becoming an author and publishing a book. They

secretly imagine how writing some bestseller will change their lives, advance their careers, make them famous, and so on. You might even 41

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

be one of them. But sadly, most people never seriously get into the nuts and bolts of publishing a book. If you are one such person, then this article is for you. Here are a bunch of reasons why you should stop dreaming and start deciding on becoming an author.

First, who is an author? - An author is someone who thinks creatively, loves writing, evokes imagination, and educates people. His or her focus is to produce well-crafted pieces of work for people to read, enjoy, and share.

Why become an author? - Bud Gardner, one of the authors of the Chicken Soup for the Soul once said - When you speak your words echo only across the room or down the hall. But when you write your words echo down the ages.

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This is possibly the best reason why you should become an author.

Now what are the benefits?

Tell your story - Everyone has a unique story to tell. Becoming an author will help you share your story to the world. You can write on practically anything. Your imagination is your limit.

Share your knowledge - When you become an author you will share your knowledge or message to the world. For example, if you have worked in the chemical industry for many years, then you can write a book that will be suitable for the employees of that industry.

When

you

write

a

book

you

will

automatically position yourself as an expert in 43

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

your industry. This is because you will stand out from your colleagues and get noticed. For example, in a ten member sales team, if one person has written a good book on sales then he or she will automatically become several steps ahead than their coworkers.

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Build brand - You will build brand and get speaking opportunities. Depending on the kind of book you write you may even get speaking opportunities in universities, companies, hobby shops, etc.

Change lives - If you write self-help and self-improvement books, then you can change lives. For example, books like the seven habits, chicken soup series, and stop worrying and start living has change millions of lives worldwide.

Keep your brain alive - You can keep your brain alive. Writing involves a lot of thinking and this will keep your brain active and alive.

Depending on what you are writing you will brainstorm ideas, plots, stories, new words, 46

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etc. This can be an exciting exercise and make your brain better and better.

Publish easily - Earlier it was not possible to get your book published easily. This was because top publishers and literary agents would not look at new authors, unless they were already famous. But today, the situation has changed. With self-publishing anyone can publish a small or big book directly on their own without gatekeepers like publishers or literary agents.

Easy to learn - Learning how to publish is not difficult. Actually, anyone with some knowledge, imagination, and some simple writing skills can become an author. There are also plenty of articles and videos on the 47

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internet that can guide you how to begin. Also, you don’t need a degree from any top university to become an author.

Earn royalties - You can earn royalties for your books. Whenever your book sells you will be able to earn royalties ranging from 20% to 70%. This can be a good source of secondary income for as long as the book exists.

Have a lifelong hobby - Unlike sports, writing is a hobby that you can continue even after you become old. With sports you will have to stop by the age of 30 or 35, but with writing you can do it even at the age of 80 if you are capable.

Aren’t these enough reasons to write a book? So, go ahead and start your journey and 48

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

remember this quote by Toni Morrison - If there is a book that you want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.

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49

Are you becoming Arrogant?

Management

A

general dictionary defines arrogance in many ways like, ‘Offensive display of

superiority, self-importance, overbearing pride, pompous, haughtiness, behaving in a superior manner toward inferiors, etc.’ Each one of us would have definitely seen or experienced 50

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

arrogance by someone at some time. An arrogant person can impact you in many ways, and depending on your current position you may or may not be able to control such people. For example, an arrogant professor, teacher, boss, or reputed personalities can make life hell for all his subordinates, and continue to behave with brazen superiority with everyone for years.

Often, you will not be able to do anything because such people control your core necessities like passing exams, promotions, salary hikes, sales figures, brand, etc. But in some cases, you can hit back with all your power at arrogant people. Nevertheless, arrogant people in all walks of life are a pain and will be an important topic of discussion 51

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

everywhere. Behind the back gossip like, ‘He or she has become arrogant now, but wasn’t like that before’ is quite common in most workplaces, amongst friends, relatives, etc.

However, it doesn’t mean arrogant people will be boorish with everyone, but they will definitely

not

miss

an

opportunity

to

demonstrate it to someone they can afford to be rude with.

Often, the person being branded arrogant may not truly realize they have indeed become arrogant. For example, we rarely think of ourselves as being arrogant as we usually believe it’s always someone else who can be arrogant, but not us. But arrogance does exist in various degrees in everyone, including you and me. Now suppose you discover that 52

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people who matter to you are calling you arrogant behind your back? Or worse, someone tells you flat on your face that you are indeed arrogant.

What will be your reaction? It can rudely jolt you from the grand benevolent image you hold of yourself. Being branded arrogant is something that nobody would like to hear. You could get furious, outraged, and vehemently disagree with their opinion. Or, if you can control your senses, you can stop and think of it as a wake-up call to mend your ways.

Arrogance is like a special body odor that you can’t smell, but others can. But unless somebody tells you openly, or you have a mirror of snow white's stepmother you don’t get to realize it. Similar to how people 53

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recognize the harmful effects of junk food, high cholesterol, etc., it’s also important to recognize some vital signs that could make one arrogant over time. So, what are those signs that can make you arrogant? Here are the vital signs that could make you arrogant over time, unless you take appropriate steps to puncture your bloated ego periodically.

Knowledge - Your subject knowledge is good and improving day by day. People come to you for advice, tips, guidance. You have all the answers for anything and everything, or you believe so. Soon, you begin to think you have become an expert in everything and feel others are now dependent on you. And you gradually become dismissive of suggestions 54

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and recommendations by others, except yours, of course.

Salary - You have a juicy salary. You are able to pay all your bills, loans, expenses and still have plenty of spare money to buy the things you desire. Your bank balance makes you feel invincible and you start comparing everyone based on the money they make.

Job title - You have a fancy job title that can create an aura of awe around you. Titles having groovy words like global, enterprise, strategy, leader, etc., can quietly corrupt a person’s ego faster than a person who is having a mediocre title like sales manager, though both could be doing identical ordinary jobs.

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Contacts - You develop contacts and connections with reputed people, famous personalities, top brass, etc., and hover around important people. You have the blessings of a powerful godfather who worships the ground you walk on, protects you, listens to you and does not make a move without consulting you.

So, you now feel like a VIP with the power to crush ordinary mortals.

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Successes - Frequent success and winning can be a powerful arrogance booster. For example, you have had a series of successes and promotions that are the envy of others.

Everything you touch turns to gold. Or you have been very smart and quick in burying your failures before anyone notices them. Or somebody is doing the work and producing the results, while you are getting the rewards and hikes. During temporary lucky periods in life, a feeling of Midas touch can get into people’s head. This is often the reason why many sportspersons, film personalities, business owners, etc., become haughty and pushy.

Answers - You don’t provide solutions to questions anymore. Instead, you now answer every question with another smart question.

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You develop the skill to invent a dozen jargonfilled smart, tough and tricky questions on the fly that can make others squirm, chew their head off or make them flee from the scene. Of course, it’s not necessary for you to know the answers, or if answering is unavoidable, you can invent some more jargon-filled questions to confuse the other party.

Personal - In addition to the above factors, an individual’s personal qualities, or Mother Nature’s temporary gifts to humans like young age, physical strength, beauty, good health, IQ, etc., can also make one arrogant.

Finally, the challenge for each one of us is to frequently pause and observe ourselves to see if any of the above factors are making us 59

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pompous. And we can conclude with a quote from Henry W Shaw, ‘It is not only the most difficult thing to know oneself, but the most inconvenient one, too.’

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60

Never Stop Learning Learning

O

ne of the finest things about our life is that we never have to stop learning.

There are always new things to learn and adopt. The most successful people in the world never stop learning. They don’t act like they

know everything and understand the basic fact 61

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that they have to continuously learn to be successful. For example, Warren Buffet spends most of his time reading something new. Now let us look at a few reasons why you should never stop learning.

Reason-1:

You

will

become

happier.

Personal development is a fantastic way to guarantee confidence, courage, and peace.

Reason-2: You will become humble. For example, many people stop learning and even argue arrogantly that there is nothing else to learn. But this is a big mistake. Ignorance attracts arrogance, but learning makes you humble. When you are constantly learning something new you will realize how ignorant you have been on how science, technology, 62

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

and

other

disciplines

have

progressed

compared to what you may have studied.

Reason-3: You will become a teacher as well as a student. With the knowledge that you have gained you can easily teach others and change their lives for the better. In parallel, you will also be a student as you will gain opportunities to learn from others experiences even if they know less than you.

Reason-4: People will gladly help you. When you are looking to learn there is less chance that you will be viewed as arrogant. Humble learners don't make themselves look smart; instead they make others look smart. And when people see you learning from them, it makes them liking you that much easier.

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Now let us look at some ways you can learn without having to pursue a formal course or going back to college.

Travel - If you can afford it go travelling.

This is an excellent way to grasp new ideas and educate yourself when you see new places, new people, and experience their cultures and traditions. Traveling will give you an education that you can’t get in a classroom.

Try new things - Step outside of your comfort zone and try things you would not normally try. For example, read a book or article on topics that you never read before, or eat a dish that you have never eaten before, or listen to some music of other countries or languages. Expose yourself to the world 64

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outside of your normal bubble is a great way to grow and learn.

Read new stuff - Reading blogs that you are passionate about is a great way to practice lifelong learning. Unlike books, blog posts are shorter and you can read one or two posts every day and gain some new knowledge, inspiration, motivation, etc., in a short time.

Listen to knowledge – Some years ago before the internet and smartphones became popular you had to buy expensive DVDs to learn something new. But today you have audiobooks and podcasts freely available on almost any topic. Even paid ones are not too expensive. You can subscribe to them and gain a tremendous amount of knowledge every day 65

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

from hundreds of experts around the world.

You can even listen to them when you are stuck in traffic.

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Video knowledge - YouTube and TEDx has tons of experts and professors giving lectures on every topic under the sun. With a big screen monitor and full HD it’s an amazing experience to listen to lectures at your own pace sitting right in your home or office.

Take online classes - If the knowledge that you are seeking is not available freely then you can take online courses on sites like Udemy, Skillshare, Simplive, etc., for an extremely reasonable fee.

Join an industry group - Meeting other people who work in similar industries or have the same passion can help you grow. You can share

your

knowledge

and

gain

new

knowledge with such interactions. Meeting regularly

also

builds 68

commitment

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Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

discipline. In addition, you will gain lifelong friends.

Do something different - The brain becomes dull with monotony and consistency.

When you are doing the same thing again and again in the same way there is no fun. Try doing something different. This can be as simple as taking a new route to go to your office or home.

Start a blog or newsletter - If you have gained sufficient knowledge in something you can start a small newsletter and share your knowledge with others. You can also start blogging and soon you will see some regular visitors or subscribers eager to read what you have shared.

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In a similar way, you can try out dozens of new things.

It

can

be

photography,

stamp

collections, gardening, charity work, etc.

Finally, we can end this article with a quote by Theodore Roosevelt - Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell them, Certainly, I can!

Then get busy and find out how to do it.

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Stop Overthinking Self Improvement

D

ecades ago IBM had a wonderful slogan to inspire their sales staff. That well

known slogan was called “THINK�. It was first used by Thomas J. Watson who led IBM from 1914 to 1956. It was a very popular slogan for 71

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

a long time until other smart slogans were created. Thinking is a wonderful concept.

Before you do anything it is always a good idea to sit down and think about its pros and cons.

But there is also a small risk with thinking and that is overthinking. Just like overdoing many things it’s also possible to indulge in overthinking. It happens involuntarily to practically everyone who gets caught in some trouble or roadblock that can’t be easily solved.

When you eat too much people say that you are overeating and must reduce it When you work too much people say that you are getting burned out and must stop overworking.

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Similarly, overthinking is bad for your health and you must learn to consciously stop it. This is something that you need to learn on your own as others will not be able to observe if you are thinking excessively and overheating your brain. Now let us look at some risks of overthinking.

You will get struck in stuck in indecision and analysis paralysis. Overthinking and getting lost in endless options results in no work getting done.

If you are endlessly trying to find the perfect solution you will get nowhere. Hence, taking any action is better than inaction and indecision.

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Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

For medium thinkers selecting a decision or solution is easy. But for over thinkers who have more intelligence there are many doors to choose and this can become a problem. Their mind will start like - If I choose this, then that might happen. If I choose that, then this may happen. If I choose the third one, then I won’t get the ones available in one and two. It will become an endless cycle of thinking multiple options, researching them, and ending up with more options. Finally, no decision can ever be made!

So, how do you stop overthinking? Here are a few suggestions.

Before tackling overthinking you need to first learn to recognize when it's happening.

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While thinking, if you find yourself feeling stressed or anxious, immediately step back and look at the situation and how you're responding.

Stop seeking perfection. Being ambitious is good but aiming for perfection is unrealistic and impractical. The moment you start thinking that your plan needs to be perfect and flawless you will get into a whirlpool unable to come out.

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Don't think of what can go wrong. Instead, think of what can go right. Overthinking is also due to fear of something going wrong with your decision. And when you focus on all the negative things that might happen you will become paralyzed with indecision. Next time you feel fearful of some decision you want to take, stop and think of all the things that can go right instead of wrong.

Overthinking also leads to over talking. You may have observed this with some people when you ask them for street directions or dates. For example, instead of just telling that the meeting is on next Wednesday, they will add unwanted fillers by saying it’s not on Tuesday

or

Monday,

inattentive listener.

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and

confuse

the

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Setting a limit for thinking can also be a good way. For example, you can say that you will consider various options for the next two days and then make a decision on the third day with the available options.

Quotes by famous people.

I have always found that if I move with seventy-five percent or more of the facts that I usually never regret it. It’s the guys who wait to have everything perfect that drive you crazy - Lee Iacocca Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it - Cardinal Newman Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it - Salvador Dali 78

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

Leave the mind in its natural, undisturbed state. Don’t follow thoughts of this is a problem, that is a problem, etc. Without labelling difficulties as problems, leave your mind in its natural state. In this way, you will stop seeing miserable conditions as problems Lama Zopa Rinpoche

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The Sweetness of doing Nothing Personal Development

W

hen was the last time that you sat for an hour doing absolutely nothing?

When I mean nothing, it means no fiddling with your phone, or reading a book, or watching TV, etc. Do you remember such a 80

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

time? No? If not, then you should start it today. This concept is called Niksen, a stressreducing practice, from the Netherlands that means to do nothing, or to be idle. Instead of constantly filling your mind with what shall I do next or having an endless array of tasks Niksen is the practice of slowing it all down.

Niksen helps you to manage stress and reduce burnout.

Burnout is not something that you should avoid or be embarrassed to discuss with others.

Recently,

the

World

Health

Organization has also officially recognized burnout as a chronic health illness caused by stress from modern life. So, it’s no longer a private matter.

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In today’s hectic personal and workplace life we are constantly pressurized to be more productive, do more with less time, not waste any minute, and so on. But Niksen is the exact opposite of that thinking and is the chance to do nothing and enjoy it without regret. Here are some methods to practice Niksen, Look at wild animals in the forest, especially lions. Once they have had their food they just spend their time doing nothing. They are just recharging their batteries quietly yawning, sleeping, or just staring at the wilderness.

Keep your phone on silent, switch off the TV and all other distractions and just sit on the couch without doing anything. Don’t think of any specific. Just let your mind wander 82

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aimlessly without purpose. This will make your mind calmer and can come up with better ideas.

Don’t think Niksen is plain laziness. Instead, think of this as a method of relaxation and rejuvenation of your mind, body, and soul.

Many people, especially the hyper productivity types, may feel uncomfortable sitting idle as their mind is tuned to be always busy. So, start small, say 15 minutes to begin with and then increase it.

Unless there is some emergency, resist the urge to stop Niksen and start doing something that is nagging you. Don’t have any regrets for doing Niksen. Think of this as a time well spent

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to recharge your batteries. Remember Niksen is about switching off completely like sleeping.

The best time to practice Niksen is when you are filled with negative energy, high anxiety, stress, depression, etc., as this is the time your mind and body is expecting you listen to it and take a break. If you listen to your body signals it will reward you with better ideas or health later.

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Now let us look at some quotes on taking it easy, If you want to relax, watch the clouds pass by if you're lying on the grass, or sit in front of the creek; just doing nothing and having those still moments is what really rejuvenates the body. Miranda Kerr We need time to defuse, to contemplate.

Just as in sleep our brains relax and give us dreams, so at some time in the day we need to disconnect, reconnect, and look around us.

Laurie Colwin If you've tried everything possible to get an outcome, and it just hasn't worked out as planned, stop trying so hard. Relax. Maybe the timing's not right. Maybe it wasn't in your best 86

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

interests. Maybe while one door seems to be closing, another is opening. Robin S. Sharma

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Children Section

T

his section is dedicated to articles for children and also their own contributions.

You can also submit articles, drawings, and paintings done by your kids for consideration.

This is to encourage them to cultivate the awesome habit of writing and reading books and magazines, instead of thinking that their computers, smartphones, and tablets are only for playing games and chatting.

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Comics – The Lost Priceless Treasures Nostalgia

T

his section is dedicated to remembering the golden era of comics that lasted from

the 1930s till the late 1980s. When we were kids we didn’t have dozens of TV channels, Smartphones, Apps, Internet, Social Media, etc.

Our main sources of entertainment were movies in theaters, a radio set, books, magazines, playgrounds, and the wonderful world of comics. Dozens and dozens of brilliant

graphic

comics

would

hit

our

magazine newsstands every month ranging from as low as 10 cents to 50 cents. The arrival of our favorite comic every month was always a gala affair that would send a thrilling chill 90

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

down our spine. We even had awesome libraries that would lend us comics for a small fee. Practically, every child on our planet grew up as diehard fans of various comic book heroes, heroines, and villains. Collecting and protecting our comics was a thrilling exercise, and we had to guard our precious comics from our mischievous friends, cousins, relatives, etc., who would vanish with our priceless treasures.

Each comic book’s hero, heroine, and villain would take us deep into their imaginary wonderland and make us laugh, cry, giggle, angry, and even get furious. The stories used to so great that countless comics could have been easily been made in super movies. Did you know that each comic were meticulously 91

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

hand drawn and colored by those great comic artists as there were no graphic softwares like today?

Want to know how those golden comics looked? See the next few pages for some awesome covers. Some lucky grown up child will be having these lovely treasures stored in their attics or cupboards somewhere on our planet (sigh!).

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Watch out for more awesome covers in next month’s issue.

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A Few Questions FAQs

How do we contact you?

Via

email

on

thejendra@yahoo.com

or

thejendrabs@gmail.com.

I am a writer and want to submit articles to your magazine. Will you accept it?

Yes, but with some conditions like you must have your own website, blog, and preferably be a self-published author with your books available on amazon and other sites. If you want to contribute regularly, then I would prefer you become my magazine subscriber.

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Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

This link contains the submission details and template.

Do you pay for articles?

Not yet. This is still a new magazine and to pay you my circulation must improve. But I will provide a PDF copy of the magazine if I include your article in this magazine.

What kind of articles do you accept?

Your articles must be related to selfimprovement, stress management, leadership, management, writing, publishing, and so on. It must help the reader learn something useful for their life skills. Also, your article must be your own and not copied from anywhere. All 99

Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

images used must cite sources and must be free for personal and commercial usage. I can also consider publishing articles, drawings, and paintings done by your kids to push them towards the habit of reading books and magazines.

Do you accept advertisements in your magazine?

Yes, you can have a half-page or a full-page advertisement. Half page is US$10 and fullpage is US$20 (see samples next page).

Authors can also advertise their books and its short summary for just US$5/-. For half page send a JPG or PNG file of size 5 inch x 3.75 inch and for full-page send a 5 inch x 7.5 inch size file.

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Self Improvement International – September 2019 Issue

I have some other questions.

Just send me an email.

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About the Editor

Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Life Skills Coach and offers personalized coaching in Book Publishing and Personal Development. He has also written 20+ mild & wild books on a number of subjects. His inspiration for writing unique books comes from Toni Morrison who said, “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

Please visit his web cave - www.thejendra.com for details of his books, magazine, and coaching information.

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Books by the Editor

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Books by the Editor

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Books by the Editor

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Books by the Editor

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Past Issues of this Magazine

I hope you enjoyed the ride. If you liked this magazine please coax all your friends to subscribe.

For Subscription Visit

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Wealth of the Wise