Month: February 2024

Man’s Search For Meaning

“If you have a why to live, you can bear almost any how.”
– FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor E. Frankl

Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, writer, and Holocaust survivor. In 1942, just nine months after his marriage, Frankl and his family were sent to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. His father died there of starvation and pneumonia. In 1944, Frankl and the surviving members of his family were transported to Auschwitz, where his mother and brother were murdered in the gas chambers. His wife died later of typhus in Bergen-Belsen. Frankl spent three years in four concentration camps.
The author loses everything that he has when they bring him to the camp. Soldiers separate him from his wife, brother, sister and parents. For a long time, he didn’t even know if they were alive or not. Soldiers confiscated the scientific works he had been working on all his life and destroyed them.
After losing everything including his purpose of life, how can a man continue to live without losing hope?

Meaning of Life

“The meaning of life is to give life meaning.”
Viktor Frankl was the founder of logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy that describes a search for a life’s meaning as the central human motivational force.
Meaning in life according to Frankl ; can be of three kinds.
  1. The first being a higher purpose or calling, something you feel you have been put on this earth to achieve.
  • The second is love, love for your partner, spouse, children, family, friends, and all those who matter.
  • The last is suffering. Suffering is an unavoidable part of human existence and it is upto man to find meaning in his own suffering.
These are the three ‘roots of meaning.’ that can bring hope and guide anyone through a difficult period in life.

1. Pursue a Life Task

“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it.”
There would be a task that you and only you can complete. A piece of work that required your unique experiences, knowledge, and skills.

2. Love

“The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to another person to love—the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself.”
According to Frankl ‘Love’ has little to do with just the feeling of being in love and more about doing things to help others succeed. “Love” is the act of recognizing the potential in those who matter you you and supporting them actualize that potential. When you lack meaning, find someone you can elevate.

3. Suffer Bravely

“(By) accepting the challenge to suffer bravely, life has a meaning up to the last moment, and it retains this meaning literally to the end.”
You can use your imagination to overcome suffering. Take this incident (from Frankl’s experience)-
While walking in the cold while being beaten by a Nazi guard, he recalls a man whispering to him, “If our wives could see us now! I do hope they are better off in their camps and don’t know what is happening to us.” Instead of worrying about the man’s comment, this prompted Frankl to retreat into his imagination. He pictured his wife and her smile.
“Life is Now – The Meaning of Life is in this Moment.” – Jayesh Tekchandaney
Life is made up of many stories which are scripted in the Now. Life is like a movie; it’s ultimate meaning can only be known in its conclusion. But each still in the movie has an inherent meaning of its own. It is up to us to make each frame and still meaningful to the best of our ability.

Logotherapy

“When we are unable to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Logotherapy guides one to find their purpose and meaning in their lives. This meaning differs by individual and can change from hour to hour.
Meaning can be found in even the smallest of details. So, don’t spend all your waking hours searching for an all-encompassing meaning of life. Instead, search for meaning in everyday tasks and in the relationships you have with your friends and family.

Good Work Brings Goodwill & Growth, Greed Results in Disgrace & Downfall

This evening, while recovering from a flu, I happened to watch a business documentary, “Downfall – A Case Against Boeing”, on Netflix. It was on recommendation of a professional associate, Seshu, who suggested that I watch this documentary. We were discussing the documentary in the context of how Galaxy Surfactants, the company that Seshu has devoted his professional career to, and Unique Mixers, our company which has been my Karma Bhoomi (place of action) for the last 21 years, have grown keeping the organisational DNA – principles and practices intact for over 4 decades. And how, on the contrary, when organizations choose to deviate from their founding fundamentals, disaster strikes. The unforgettable business lesson that I learnt from watching the Netflix documentary is, “Good work brings goodwill and growth, greed results in disgrace and downfall.”

We have all known Boeing to be a world class company – the Gold Standard in aviation, and a company known for its engineering and manufacturing excellence. Yet, when a company choses to comprise on quality (which in the case of Boeing airplanes has a direct bearing on the safety), for the sake of business and profitability, slowly but eventually it results in descent, and undoing of all the good work done over many years, hurting the business reputation beyond repair. The following is a short narrative of the Boeing 737 Max case study, based on the Netflix documentary and some reading.

Boeing, once synonymous with engineering excellence and innovation, has seen a drastic decline in its reputation and safety standards over the years. The company’s downfall can be traced back to a significant merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, leading to a shift in priorities and the organisational culture from that of quality and safety, to cost-cutting and shareholder value.

When Boeing began to lose it’s market share to Airbus, they decided to go all out with the hurried launch of the 737 Max, to beat their French competitor’s Airbus A320 Neo aircraft. To win over, Boeing ditched the idea of developing a new passenger plane, which would take a decade. Instead, it decided to update its workhorse 737. The pace of the work on the 737 Max was frenetic. One former designer on the team working on flight controls for the Max said the group had at times produced 16 technical drawings a week, double the normal rate. A technician who assembles wiring on the Max said that in the first months of development, rushed designers were delivering sloppy blueprints to him. He was told that the instructions for the wiring would be cleaned up later in the process. An engineer who designed the 737 Max Cockpit said, “The company was trying to avoid costs and trying to contain the level of change. They wanted the minimum change to simplify the (pilot) training differences, minimum change to reduce costs, and to get it done quickly.”

After its announcement in 2011, the Boeing 737 Max took its maiden flight in January 2016. The most serious problem for Boeing was a design flaw in the 737 Max that led to two fatal crashes, one in October 2018 and one in March 2019, that killed a total of 346 people, and led to a 20-month grounding of the aircraft only after the second crash. Investigations revealed that both planes fell to the ground under similar circumstances; an incorrect sensor reading erroneously activated the aircrafts’ new flight control system called MCAS, forcing the planes into an uncontrollable nosedive. Further analysis concluded that the design and certification process of the 737 MAX 8 was rushed; pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers were inadequately trained in the operation of the new aircraft, and several incident reports leading up to the crashes were not thoroughly investigated.

However, immediately after the crashes, the Boeing management, which was in full knowledge of the compromises that they had made, concealed the facts from the authorities. Instead, Boeing issued a brief statement after each crash, saying it was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life and offered its “heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones” of the passengers and crews, while simultaneously defending the aircraft against any faults and suggesting the pilots had insufficient training, until rebutted by evidence.

One year after the crashes, lawmakers demanded answers from then Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg in a hearing on Capitol Hill. They questioned him about the discovered mistakes leading to the crashes and also about Boeing’s subsequent cover-up efforts. One important line of enquiry was how Boeing “tricked” regulators into approving sub-standard pilot training materials, especially the deletion of mentioning the critical flight stabilization system MCAS. A Texas court eventually ruled in October 2022 that the passengers killed in two 737 MAX crashes are legally considered “crime victims”, which has consequences concerning possible remedies. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor wrote, “Boeing’s crime may properly be considered the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history.” The Justice Department settlement included a fine of $243.6 million, compensation to airlines of $1.77 billion and a $500 million fund for crash victims.

If that wasn’t enough, as late as January 2024, the door plug of a commercial Boeing 737 Max 9 came off as the plane was climbing, opening a large hole on the side of the plane, alarming passengers onboard, and raising new questions about the aircraft.

Boeing’s downfall is a cautionary tale of how a once-proud company can lose its way when prioritizing profits over safety and abandoning its core principles. It will only be befitting to conclude on the same note as we started, “Good work brings goodwill and growth, greed results in disgrace and downfall.”

PS : I had the fortune of touring with my family, the Boeing factory in Seattle, USA, in May 2018 and I had then penned a note then about this fascinating experience (the link to this note is at the bottom of this article). I never imagined that 6 years later, I would be writing this note which takes away all the good memories that I once associated with Boeing.

Additional Links

Downfall – The Case Against Boeing
Visit to the Boeing Factory

IKIGAI

Ikigai’ is a book authored by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. The purpose of this book is to help you find your Ikigai, and to share insights from Japanese philosophy on the lasting health of body, mind and spirit.

In this note, we summarise the key ideas and actions presented in the book. These include :

– What is Ikigai ?
– Knowing Your Ikigai
– Ikigai and Longevity
– Antiaging Secrets
– How to Face Life’s Challenges
– Summarised – The 10 Rules of Ikigai

What is Ikigai ?

Ikigai is the reason for your being. ‘Iki’ in Japanese means ‘life,’ and ‘gai’ describes value or worth. Ikigai means your purpose in life, which makes you wake up everyday. Having a clearly defined ikigai brings satisfaction, happiness, and meaning to our lives.

Ikigai is illustrated in four overlapping circles, as in a Venn Diagram which talks about a synthesis of:

• What you love to do.
• What you are good at.
• What the world needs.
• What you can be paid for

Knowing Your Ikigai

To know what your Ikigai is, make a list of the following three things –
• Your values
• Things you like to do
• Things you are good at

The cross-section or overlap of these three lists, is your Ikigai, something you should do for the rest of your life.

Happiness is in the act of doing, not the result.

Ikigai and Longevity
The keys to longevity are diet, exercise, finding a purpose in life (an Ikigai), broad circle of friends, and good family relations.

Ikigai: Everyday Life and not Lifetime

The concept of Ikigai aligns with everyday life, as opposed to a lifetime. It makes us appreciate our daily life, celebrating it, and experiencing the small joys of living. Ikigai is the reason you wake up in the morning for, that thing you live for, daily. Whatever you do, don’t retire. Keep your heart young. Smile. Live an unhurried life. Show respect for nature.

Diet & “Hara hachi bu” – The 80% Secret
Eat a variety of foods, in particular fruits and vegetables. Make sure, that you are “eating the rainbow” – red peppers, carrots, spinach, cauliflower,and eggplant, for example, offers color and variety. The world’s longest living people eat less than 10 grams of salt per day and cut down on refined sugar, refined grains, and foods prepared with cow’s milk. They have sweet potato, soyabeans. They enjoy their green tea.
One of the most common sayings in Japan is “Hara hachi bu,” which is said before or after eating and means “Fill your belly to 80 percent. Overeating wears down the body with long digestive processes that accelerate cellular oxidation. By presenting their meals on many small plates, the Japanese tend to eat less.
Movement & Exercise
The longest-living people are not the ones who do the most exercise but rather the ones who move the most. Everyone should be involved in some type of body movements such as talking walks, gardening, doing your laundry, cooking, cleaning, on a regular basis. Practicing yoga or any other form of light exercise can help. The Surya Namaskar (the Sun Salutation) with just twelve basic movements is one of the simplest and most effective hatha yoga exercise that one can practise at home for a lifetime. Breathing properly can do wonders.
Moai: Connected for Life
A Moai is an informal group of people with common interests who look out for one another. Those who will motivate you and provide you with constructive feedback and support when necessary. Surround yourself with good friends and family, with people who are positive and cheerful. Nurture your friendships every day. If you are anxious, go out, say ‘Hello!’ and ‘See you later!’ to people.
Antiaging Secrets : The Art Of Staying Young While Growing Old
Active Mind, Youthful Body : A sound mind lies in a sound body. Physical exercise keep the body healthy. Simple exercises like jogging, stretching, pushups, cycling, makes you feel happy and energetic. Mental work exercises help create new neural connections and revitalizes the brain.
Be Mindful about Reducing Stress: High-level stress leads to premature aging. One way to reach a state of mindfulness is through meditation. Get seven to nine hours of sleep.
Sitting for Prolonged Periods Ages You : Walk to work, or just go for a walk 20 minutes in a day, take the stairs, play a sport, play with kids, participate in social or leisure activities.
Have a Positive Attitude and Emotional Awareness : Stay cheerful and maintain a positive attitude. Accept emotions without trying to control them since feelings will change as a result of actions.
How to Face Life’s Challenges without Stress and Worry ?
• Pray once you wake up.
• Focus on the most important than the most urgent.
• Be flexible, concentrate on things you can control, and don’t worry about those you cannot.
• There is nothing wrong with enjoying life’s pleasures as long as they do not take control of your life.
• Think about what’s the worst thing that can happen. However, do not give in to negative emotions.
• Observe the thoughts as they appear, without getting carried away.
• Focus on here and now.
• Only imperfection resembles the natural world.
The two important concepts to be fully understood are :

The here and now, and the impermanence of things: Both Buddhism and Stoicism remind us that the present is all that exists, and it is the only thing we can control. Instead of worrying about the past or the future, we should appreciate things just as they are in the moment, in the now.

Wabi-sabi and ichi-go ichi-e: Wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept that shows us the beauty of the fleeting, changeable, and imperfect nature of the world around us. Instead of searching for beauty in perfection, we should look for it in things that are flawed, incomplete. Japanese concept is that of ichi-go ichi-e , which could be translated “This moment exists only now and won’t come again.” It is heard most often in social gatherings as a reminder that each encounter is unique and will never be repeated, meaning that we should enjoy the moment and not lose ourselves in worries about the past or the future.

Summarised : The 10 Rules of Ikigai

1. Stay active; don’t retire.
2. Take it slow.
3. Don’t fill your stomach.
4. Surround yourself with good friends.
5. Get in shape for your next birthday.
6. Smile.
7. Reconnect with nature.
8. Give thanks.
9. Live in the moment.
10. Follow your IKIGAI.

Start with Why

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”
– VIKTOR E. FRANKL

In “Start With Why,” the author, Simon Sinek presents that purpose-driven individuals and organisations succeed because they start with the “why” instead of the “what” or the “how.”

His submission is that when individuals, leaders, institutions, companies and organisations communicate their purpose and beliefs, they can create a following of people, partners, team members and employees who share those values, and as result are sure to succeed. “Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire already motivated people and inspire them.”
The Book, ‘Start with Why’ can be summarised in the following 4 statements –

1. WHY is the purpose, cause, or belief.
2. Every inspiring leader starts with WHY
3. People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.
4. Knowing your WHY is the key to lasting success.

The 4 Key Insights from the book :
Key Insights: 1. The Importance of Purpose
Sinek emphasizes that purpose is what sets successful companies apart from their competition. Purpose-driven companies attract and retain loyal customers and employees who share their values.
Key Insights: 2. The Power of Beliefs
Sinek highlights that companies with strong beliefs can create a culture that attracts like-minded individuals. Belief can help improve self motivation, inspire innovation, increase productivity, and result in employee satisfaction. “
Key Insights: 3. The Role of Authenticity
Sinek stresses upon the importance of authenticity in communicating the “Why.” No one can manipulate employees or customers for long. Being authentic is essential to building trust and creating lasting relationships.
Key Insights: 4. Finding Your “Why”

Sinek provides a framework for finding your “Why” and communicating it to your team and customers. It is by putting into practice your personal values and beliefs, and using them as the foundation for your business strategy.

To support his theory, Sinek provides real-world examples of companies that have successfully communicated their purpose to create a loyal following.

The Golden Circle

Sinek introduces and narrates a novel concept. He calls it, “The Golden Circle”.

The Golden Circle is formed of three parts: ‘Why,’ ‘How’ and ‘What.’

What ?

The What of a company relates to the product or service that a company provides. The What is the outer layer of the circle.

How ?

The How of a company is the approach adopted by a company. The How is the differentiating value proposition or a unique selling point of the company.

Why ?

The Why is at the core of the golden circle. Why does the company exist?

The Biological Basis of Golden Circle

Sinek explains that the ‘What ?’ is directly related to our neocortex in the brain. The neocortex is a an area in the human brain specialized for rational and analytical thoughts and language. The neocortex does not drive behavior. Instead, it only allows us to consider vast amounts of data.

The ‘How ?’ and ‘Why ?’ of The Golden Circle are both associated with the limbic brain, which is specialized for feelings like trust and loyalty. This area of the brain is responsible for all human behavior and decision-making.

Thus if you start with ‘Why ?’ you will be directly connecting with the limbic brain and this will facilitate better decision making.

Leadership is about Starting With ‘Why ?’ But Knowing ‘How ?’
Any individual can possess the ability to motivate people. But, the most important thing to becoming a great leader is to be charismatic. Charisma is a skill that inspires people around you. This charisma is tied to a leader’s ‘Why ?’. Leaders in all walks of life have a belief in a greater purpose than themselves.

“The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.”

“There are leaders and there are those who lead. Leaders hold a position of power or influence. Those who lead inspire us. Whether individuals or organizations, we follow those who lead not because we have to, but because we want to. We follow those who lead not for them, but for ourselves.”

Video

Watch Simon Sinek, explaining ‘Start with Why’

https://youtu.be/u4ZoJKF_VuA?si=d4lLi2zw-vOOkcel

What is the story of this site – Life is Beautiful ?

Hi Jayesh,
This site has several interesting posts by you that were worth reading. In addition, I saw that a lot of the blog entries were dated 2009. What is the story of this site ?

Kailash Khandelwal – Business Owner, Astrology Expert, based in Atlanta, USA.

————————–

I took up to serious writing around 2009. It’s then that I created a blog where I shared some personal experiences and learnings. I kept adding up articles whenever I could, but then there was long break from around early 2020 until 2023.

In January 2024, I decided to bring back this blog to life. It’s no longer limited to my experiences, it’s now about sharing the good things that I come across every day – typically books, articles, quotes – learnings that come in all forms.

When I started, the sole objective of writing this blog was to share with my children, Maahir who is turning 18 on 14th February, and Shourya, 14, what I learnt and experienced. It’s also my personal journal, notes to myself and allows me to look back, and at times relearn what may have been forgotten, the greatest beleif being that no matter what, Life is Beautiful.

Mom, Dad, Me, Purvi, Shourya, Maahir

Jayesh Tekchandaney

tekchandaney@gmail.com

12th February, 2024

PS – The colorful and vibrant Life is Beautiful that’s right on top of the page was created by Maahir in 2009, when he was 3 years old and Shourya was just born. It’s been 15 years since the blog was born.

The 5 AM Club

“The 5 AM Club” by Robin Sharma emphasises the importance of rising up early, and beginning your day with a holistic routine. The mantra, “Well begun is half done” is reiterated. The following is an extract, summary from the book, along with a visual representation, and a video link from YouTube both of which are included at the end of this note.

The book primarily echoes and builds upon the age old idea of Brahmamuhurta which defined in our Vedic scriptures, and was practiced in ancient India. Brahmamuhurta, which means ‘time of Brahma (the creator of this universe) ‘, is a 48-minute period (muhurta) that begins one hour and 36 minutes before sunrise, and ends 48 minutes before sunrise. It is traditionally the penultimate phase or muhurta of the night, and is considered an auspicious time for all practices of yoga and most appropriate for meditation, worship or any other religious practice. Spiritual activities performed early in the morning are said to have a greater effect than in any other part of the day.

Robin Sharma’s magic mantra from this book, “Take excellent care of the front end of your day, and the rest of your day will pretty much take care of itself. Own your morning.”

He encourages everyone to be an early riser, which is at 5 am in the morning. While this could be difficult for many to adopt, for several personal and professional reasons, in principle the concept can be implemented, so long as one is willing to rise early. It’s important to grasp the ideas presented in the book and implement them, so that one make the most of the time available to advance personal, professional , physical, family, health, spiritual and social goals.

Peak Performance at 5:00 a.m.

The text suggests that our attention span is limited and gets used up throughout the day by various distractions. By waking up at 5:00 a.m., there is an opportunity to focus on one important task without distractions. This is due to a concept called transient hypofrontality, where at this time, the brain’s rational thinking shuts down, allowing for a state of flow. This state of flow leads to increased focus and productivity for the entire day. This can lead to achieving great things and becoming a history maker.

Wake at 5:00 a.m. for incredible results with 20/20/20 formula.
By using this formula you will get most of your Victory Hour(5-6 am). It is divided into three 20 minutes pockets.

– Move: 1st 20 minutes for intense exercise. Start by exercising vigorously for 20 minutes to generate brain-boosting sweat. It will increase your metabolism rate and your brain will be optimized and you will be able to better focus on work.

– Reflect: Then, spend 20 minutes in deep reflection and solitude, writing your thoughts in a journal to understand your vision and let go of negativity. Here you plan your day or Mediate for clear vision or you may do praying or journaling.

– Grow: Finally, dedicate the last 20 minutes of your first hour to learning; study biographies, psychology, innovation, or listen to audiobooks. Embrace this routine to become a successful member of the 5 AM club.

The Four Focuses of History Makers
• Capitalization IQ: ‘Natural talent is not what defines great individuals. Instead, it is the extent of that potential that they capitalize on through consistency and relentlessness.’
• Freedom from Distraction: ‘An addiction to distraction is the death of your creative production.’
• Personal Mastery Practice: ‘Your influence in the world mirrors the glory, nobility, vitality, and luminosity you’ve accessed in yourself.’ Focus on your Four Interior Empires.
• Day Stacking: ‘As you live each day, so you craft your life. We all are so focused on pursuing our futures that we generally ignore the exceedingly important value of a single day. And yet what we are doing today is creating our future.’

The Four Interior Empires

• Mind Set: It is the psychological aspect of our being. For example, our thinking.

• Heart Set: It is our emotional intelligence. How good are we at managing our own emotions? What is our relation to others?

• Health Set: It relates to our physical fitness.

• Soul Set: It connects to spirituality. How are we connecting to that Supreme power?

The Five Scientific Truths Behind Excellent Habits

• World-class willpower isn’t an inherent strength; it is a skill developed through relentless practice.

• Personal discipline is a muscle. The more you stretch it, the stronger it gets.

• Like other muscles, willpower weakens when tired. Therefore, recovery is necessary for the expression of mastery and to manage decision fatigue.

• Installing any virtuous habits follows a distinct four-part pattern for automation of the routine.

• Increasing self-control in one area of your life should elevate self-control in all areas of your life.

The Three Values of Heroic Habit Makers
• Victory demands consistency and persistence. Anyone can be great for just one day. But to be great consistently is what is required to become heroic.
• Completing what is started determines the size of personal respect that will be generated.
• The way you practice in private is precisely how you will perform once you are in public.

The Habit Installation Protocol

It takes 66 days to get to the automation point of a new habit. The time can be divided into 3 parts (22 days each)-

• Destruction Phase: Here your old habit gets destroyed. It is the hardest part. You need most of your willpower in this phase.

• Installation Phase: In this phase installation of a new habit takes place. Here you should remember why you are going to build this habit.

• Integration Phase: Here the habit gets integrated with your daily life
After 66 days the habit will be automated.

The 10 Tactics of Lifelong Genius

1. The Tight Bubble of Total Focus: preserves your focus as well as your primal brilliance by giving you long stretches of time free from trivial fascinations and any influences that dissolve your inspiration.

2. The 90/90/1 Rule: For 90 days spend 90 minutes of a workday on a single task.

3. The 60/10 method: 60 minutes work – 10-minute break.

4. The Five Daily Concepts: During the second pocket of your Victory Hour, list the five tiny targets you wish to accomplish over the day ahead for you to feel it was one well-spent.

5. The Second-Wind Workout: schedule a second workout at the end of your workday to give you a second wind for a great evening.

6. The Two Massage Protocols: Lock two ninety-minute massages onto your weekly schedule. If not a massage do something that allows you to unwind.

7. Traffic University: Use the traveling time to learn, expanding your professional prowess and personal knowledge.

8. The Dream Team Technique: Delegate tasks that not only are a poor use of your hours but also diminish your happiness. Ideally, restructure your entire life so you’re doing only the things you’re great at—and love to do.

9. The Weekly Design System: Carve out and then ritualize thirty minutes early each Sunday morning to create your “Blueprint for a Beautiful Week.”

10. The 60-Minute Student: For at least sixty minutes a day, study. Do whatever it takes to fireproof your commitment to relentless growth.

Twin Cycles of Elite Performance
The Five Assets of Genius are your mental focus, your physical energy, your personal willpower, your original talent, and your daily time.
The balance should be maintained between High Excellence Cycles (the time when you work) and Deep Refueling Cycle (when you take rest).
Remember this: The time you least feel like doing something is the best time to do it.

The Billionaire’s Maxim

1. To Create Magic in the World, Own the Magic within Yourself.

2. Collect Miraculous Experiences over Material Things.

3. Failure Inflates Fearlessness.

4. Proper Use of Your Primal Power Creates Your Personal Utopia.

5. Avoid Bad People.

6. Money Is the Fruit of Generosity, Not Scarcity.

7. Optimal Health Maximizes Your Power to Produce Magic.

8. Continue Raising Your Life Standards Toward Absolute World-Class.

9. Deep Love Yields Unconquerable Joy.

10. Heaven on Earth Is a State, Not a Place.

11. Tomorrow Is a Bonus, Not a Right.

The following illustration by Visual Synopsis presents the above concepts in a single sheet.

You can also watch the 5 am Club video uploaded on YouTube by Upgraded Mentality.

https://youtu.be/Kxvp3eOYphY?si=gWFwpx5LNB_6vXEE

Secrets of Good Health

This note, titled as “Secrets of Good Health” is a summary from an audio podcast on Audible, from Rujuta Diwekar, one of the most qualified and sought after nutrition and wellness expert. I had the fortune of training for my first marathon under Rujuta, in 2010. In this podcast, Rujuta presents a simple, yet little understood definition of good health. She emphasizes the importance of following a diet and exercise routine which is sustainable over a life time, and staying away from fitness fads or quick fixes. Right through the podcast she provides insights and simple yet effective actionable points that once can follow in the daily routine.

What is Good Health ?

– Good health is about improving the functionality and the quality of our day to day life. It should help us live a happier and a fulfilling life.

– Being fit means feeling light on your feet, healthy and happy in your heart and your head. Fitness is the benefit that you get out of building good habits.

– Good health comes in all weights, sizes and shapes. Don’t confuse between your weight and your health. Each one of us is healthy at a different body weight. Don’t be obsessed about reducing weight.

– Measures of good health are good digestion, sound sleep, good skin and hair, waist to hip ratio

– There is no shortcut to losing weight or getting slim. It requires small, slow, steady and sustainable efforts every day.

The 3 Guidelines on Healthy Diet and Well being:

1. Eat according to your cultural traditions
2. Eat according to your personal preference
3. Eat according to your budgetary constraints

5 Habits for Good Health

Sustainable weight loss means that your reduce 5 to 10% of your current weight within a year. Our focus needs be on building long lasting habits that we can sustain over a long period of 30 to 35 years, and right through life.

1. Don’t stand on the weighing scale every day. Weigh yourself once every 3 months. It’s important to feel light from within even if the weight doesn’t reduce significantly.
2. Don’t follow diets with names, or with the terms such as protein, carbohydrates and fat.
3. Don’t compare your fitness journey with that of others, or your own progress in the past.
4. Don’t kill yourself in the gym. An exercise should make you feel good, improve your energy levels, give you better sleep. Exercise like a real human being. 150 minutes of exercise in week is adequate for good health. You have to make a habit of exercising right through your life.
5. Don’t sleep at night on the next calendar day. Sleep on the same day as you wake up. Try to sleep before 11:30 pm latest.

Don’t fall for food fads of the weight loss industry or fall for their profit making scheme. Common sense is better than every formula or fad. Everything when consumed in an appropriate proportion, and with mindfulness will do good.

A Simple formula to maintain good health is:
1. Eat home cooked food, avoid outside food.
2. Sleep in time, get adequate sleep.
3. Exercise regularly.

Good Food Habits at Home, Work & during Travel

– At Home – Don’t skip or delay your breakfast. Eat a healthy and wholesome breakfast within the first few hours of waking up. There are plenty of breakfast foods in traditional Indian culture. Not eating a good breakfast will result in hunger pangs at the end of the day, where in you end up overeating to match up the calories your body needs.

– At Work – Plan your food intake between 4 to 6 pm. This helps you get the required mental and physical energy to take you through the evening, and will avoid acidity and bloating. There are plenty of evening snack options in Indian culture. You can have nuts, banana, dry snacks or light snack food. If you do not consume anything between 4 and 6 pm, the cortisol level which causes stress increases.

– During Travel – Carry food during your travel. A fruit and or nuts; a sweet like dates, laddoos; a salty snack; a bottle of water. This will help reduce your travel stress as well.

Top Foods for 3 Common Health Issues are Sugar Craving, Acidity and Tiredness.
Maintaining diversity and equality in the food intake is essential for a right balance. The following are the three common health related issues, and the solution to them :

Sugar Craving can be addressed by:
– Intelligent use of spices in cooking. Learn to cook.
– Good use of vegetables, tubers (root vegetables) such as sweet potato, yam, (also arbi, suran)
– Use of peanuts and peanut powder in daily diet.

To prevent Acidity
– Start your day with soaked black resins, which are also naturally sweet.
– Consume curd and poha or rice as a mid meal.
– A glass of water with a spoon of gulkand mixed, to be consumed in small portions right through the day.

To avoid Tiredness
– Aliv seeds, Halim seeds, iron and folic acid containing seeds
– Sprouts and Pulses all types
– Cashews – 4 to 6 cashews, consumed mindfully

Exercise FAQs
– Don’t confuse your activity with your exercise. Exercise is non-negotiable. It helps improve the heart, brain, bones and maintaining the right balance of hormones.
– For reducing belly fat and for a flat stomach increase, build the strength of your lower body, strong legs and your hip muscle. Exercises like squats, lunges, dead lifts.
– Walking 4000 steps in a day are adequate, about 3 to 4 km. This helps in blood circulation.
– Women need to work on building strength in the upper body and back, along with lower body exercises.
– Building strength results in musculature and helps reduce fat.
– All ages are good to begin exercising. Start slow and get steady. Exercise helps reverse aging.
– Exercise right through your life – 30 minutes a day, or one hour every alternate day.

Kid’s Health
– Kids should follow the same diet as adults do. There is not need for very special foods.
– Kids should be kept away from junk food. If there is an ad, it’s bad.
– Height is genetic.

Preventing Stress Eating by Reducing Stress
– Food is interlinked with our emotional well being, moods.
– We don’t need apps to tell us that we have over eaten. Self regulation is important while eating.
– Regular exercise helps reduce stress. Continuous exercise for 30 minutes gives you a dopamine kick, and thus helps reduce stress eating. Exercise at least 4 to 5 times a week.
– A short nap of 30 minutes, before 3 pm every afternoon helps reduce the stress, makes you feel energetic in the evening, and helps sleeping well at night.
– The Cortisol – the stress hormone, naturally comes down around 6 pm every evening. However, if you do not consume anything between 4 and 6 pm, the cortisol level increases.
– Consume coconut, peanut and cashews in your regular diet. Coconut is used in our culture, as it gives physical energy and at the same time calms the mind. Peanuts and cashews give you vitamin B, iron, essential fatty acids and magnesium, and helps reduce stress.

Sleep Matters
– The greatest secret of good health is a sound nighttime sleep.
– It’s important to sleep at the right time, latest by 11:30 pm each day.
– Lack of sleep results poor digestion – bloating, acidity, constipation.
– Post dinner, walk gentle and relaxed 100 steps for a good sleep.
– Hormones such as growth hormone, thyroid and insulin get regulated in sleep. Our growth hormone which makes us feel and look healthy peaks in the night when we sleep.
– Good sleep is important for a good mental health.
– Sleep is important for learning, and mental work.

Don’ts Before Night Sleep
– No tea, coffee, chocolate or any form of caffeine after 6 pm in the evening, as it affects the quality of sleep.
– Don’t listen to any loud noises 2 to 3 hours before sleeping.
– Stay away from screen at least 1 hour before sleep.
– Do not consume any intoxicating substances in late evening, night.

Three Secrets for Good Sleep
– Have a proper dinner, between 7 and 9 pm. There should be a 3 hour gap between bedtime and dinner. Don’t fully avoid carbs at night.
– Have a cup of haldi milk, gulkand milk, or milk with powdered cashews, nutmeg before sleeping.
– A little ghee massage on the soles of the foot before sleeping.

Yoga
– Yoga is not fully understood. Yoga is all encompassing.
– Yoga by definition means a calm mind. Focussing with an aim to achieve excellence.
– Strength, Stamina, Stability and Stretching – the 4 main arms of exercise can be achieved by practicing yoga.
– Practise yoga 3 to 4 times a week, for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Do’s and Don’ts for Good Digestion
– Finish your lunch with a spoon of ghee and jaggery.
– Have a banana every day.
– Curd and resins should be consumed.
– Be active. Walk, stay mobile.
– Have a quick short afternoon nap.
– Stay hydrated.
– Avoid over dose of tea, coffee. Don’t have tea or coffee after 4 pm.
– Balance your meals with time tested proportion of food.
– Avoid laxatives.

Your Health Assessment
– Assessing health based on body weight only, isn’t the correct approach.
– Waist to Hip Ratio signifies good health (0.7 to 0.8 in females, 0.9 – 1.0 in males).
– Male waist less than 40 inches, female waist less than 36 inches.
– Digestion assessment.
– Sugar Craving assessment.
– Exercise compliance – exercise 3 to 5 times a week.
– Sound night time sleep.
– Minimal pain during monthly periods for women.

Thank you Rujuta for sharing your secrets of good health.