What defines SUCCESS?

This is the recent vegetable harvest done by my dear friend, roommate, batchmate, of the Computer Engineering batch graduated in 2000. She is now settled in USA, living with a beautiful family, a loving husband and two adorable kids. She spends her time, raising kids, managing home, painting, gardening and farming. I remember meeting her first day in the college girls hostel. She told me, that she joined engineering for her love for the subject Mathematics. She is not thinking of having a serious career post her graduation. This disclaimer actually stunned me. I have been always ambitious about my career. I was eager to get qualified to work and start earning to become independent.

Two decades later, leaving behind a high paying corporate career, becoming an Entrepreneur, starting, owning, running and failing multiple businesses, a mother of 3 beautiful kids, I am still striving to reach my full potential. 

This is my husband's batchmate, who recently bought a brand new SUV MG Hector. Today my husband shared this picture telling me, "he is my classmate who topped every year during graduation". However my dear husband failed every year during graduation.

Two decades later, my husband has a Diabetes Care hospital, and now eagerly waiting for his brand new Toyota Innova Crysta to be delivered before Diwali.

2005 when we got married, most of our peers were married, settled abroad, either having kids, owning a house, a car or having a high paying Corporate Job or Hospital.

Life is set when you follow a tried and tested formula. Living a life like a prescription, get good marks, get a job, get married, have children, buy a house, a car, and the list goes on and on.

Now how do you measure Success? When you follow the formula or when you carve your own path? Living by design, doing what you love, breaking rules, and barriers or living by duty, people's expectations or agenda for you. 

The number of degrees, certificates, assets, kids, define success or the freedom of time, money and experience of heartfelt connections with people around you. What defines SUCCESS? 

SUCCESS means the accomplishment of an aim or a purpose. 

Why an aim or purpose? It is determined by what is driving you? What are you left with? In your experience of Life? 

Are you in a race? Attached to accumulating things, fullfilling desires and controlling people? Experience joy and happiness in winning the game of Life. 

OR

Are you living for a purpose, a vision, a goal, passionately fulfilling, on your dream, by surrendering to a mission? Experience the joy and happiness of inspiring and contributing to people and the planet. 

For many people, having peace of mind, winning over their fear and anxiety is an achievement. Having a lot of money, fans, friends or followers, name, fame, social status, authority and power decides success. 

A good friend of mine once said, "as per the law of nature, every living thing is here to be consumed by another ". So we are completely in charge of what is driving our life, to be either consumed by our unique purpose or fulfilling people's expectations of us. In both cases we are a contribution. 

We are successful in every aspect of our life, when we achieve our goals, honour our word, be of service, share our knowledge, wisdom, having our voices heard, making bold choices, experience belongingness, being cherished, valued, appreciated and loved for who we are. 

Let me know in the comments "What success means to you? How do you define your success? 

Breaking Barriers - Entrepreneurship

Breaking Barriers – Entrepreneurship require courage to face rejection, failure, confidence to deal with uncertainty and relentless commitment to growth. 

2015 – I quit a high paying Corporate Job to start my first school a franchisee business centre.

People’s Opinion – Why? Are you crazy! You have small kids. This is not the right time. You can do what you want to do when your kids grow up. 🙄😏 #makeboldchoices 

2016 – A struggling Business, Finance, and husband diagnosed with chronic illness rheumatoid arthritis. 

Financial Barriers – Invest in personal growth and development to learn new skills 🌟💖 #followyourheart 

2017 – Launch my second school expand franchisee business network.

Time Barriers – Create Teams to manage multiple business centres. A Road Trip from Chennai to Auli, my husband's journey to recovery. 😀🚗💕#designyourlife 

2018 – Launch Infinite Creations own Brand, as Business Consulting services for setting up Schools. A new baby. 

Mindset Barriers – Create a Vision and Mission to empower, inspire and contribute globally through education. 💖💫 #findyourvoice

2019 – Close all franchisee business centres, huge financial loss. 

People’s Opinion – Shut down your business when you cannot make profits. You cannot do business. Find a job. 🤔😢 #selfbelief 

2020 – Pandemic, Lockdown, start my Blog, Publish my first book Couch to Crest a 6000 kilometers Road Trip from the Coromandel Coast to Himalayas. Become a Coach. Start my Podcast and Live Show. 

People’s Opinion on Getting out of Comfort Zone – This is absolute nonsense. What do you want to prove? Showing off? Don’t share your failures with the World. 💫😍 #shareyourstory

2021 – Relaunch Infinite Creations an Educational Enterprise, offering, training, coaching and consulting services for personal, professional and business growth. 

People’s Opinion – You cannot be Sadhguru? 😀🌹 #awakenyourpower

💥🌟✨📣Celebrating FIRST anniversary of The Real Entrepreneur Show (Podcast and Live), featuring inspiring stories of 40+ Entrepreneurs, Coaches and Consultants from North America, Africa, Europe and Asia. 

Chose to DARE, Willing to FALL and RISE again

I am 12yrs old, standing outside my house, watching a far off road circling a hillside. This hillside is surrounded by a mighty lake. In my view, if ever a vehicle slips off the road it would fall into the lake. This road had steep slopes, blind twists and turns to curl around the hills. The traffic on this road was normal, of two wheelers and trucks. My mother had warned me to never try that route. It always fascinated me to ride my bicycle through the slopes and experience the wind while watching the lake beside. 

It was 3pm, everyone at home was taking a nap post lunch and I took off on my bicycle. I CHOSE to DARE, and I reached the main road, a right turn, would lead me to the lake. A truck was approaching from the opposite direction. I let it go. And I turned right. It was a slope so was fun riding till a turn came, I saw a bike approaching from the other side, the speed of my bicycle was high for me to control and turn. I slipped and skid into the dry bushes on the hillside. I got bruises on my elbows and knees. Thankfully I did not break my bones. I said to myself, "I should not have tried, I have hurt myself". I slowly got up. Patted dust off my dress, and wood stings on my skin. I looked at the road ahead and said "shall I ride and see the lake view or go back home". Going back was not motivating me. I went ahead riding slowly, facing my fears at every inch closer to reach the turn circling the hill that I usually watched from my house. I stopped to look at the other side to see my house far off. And that was the winning moment. I could see the huge body of the lake spread around the road, water shining, calm, and deep. I could spot a few lotuses. I could see that there was a few feet of distance between the road and the lake, so not so dangerous to ride as I assumed. The pain in my body eased. I rode and reached the corner of the lake where some people where fishing. It was a beautiful sight to watch the lake and my house far off, a small miniature sized. I took a deep breath, looked around for other vehicles. Then turned my bicycle to slowly ride back home, enjoying the sun shining and wind breezing through my ears. 

I CHOSE  to dare, to venture into the unknown, facing my fears. Falling, hurting my self, then getting up, brushing the dust aside to continue to see victory. That day I learnt to conquer my fears. This has since been a pattern in my life. 

I joined engineering against my love for medicine. I joined a boarding school in a new city, embracing new culture and language. I married a man from a different geography and tribe. I ventured into a business I know nothing about.

I failed in my final year Engineering. In the boarding school I lost my top rank. I failed in my marriage and I miserably failed in my business.

Inspite of the failures I managed to work for a decade in a dream corporate job, IT profile. I survived 15 years of marriage to continue to live with my husband and three beautiful children. And become a successful Self-Published Author and Thought Leader. 

I ALWAYS CHOSE TO DARE, WILLING TO FALL AND TO RISE AGAIN TO SEE THE LIGHT. 

SUN SHINNING BRIGHT... IN MY EYES AND EXPERIENCE THE WIND BREEZING THROUGH MY EARS... 

LIKE A 12 YR OLD GIRL WINNING OVER HER FEARS

God's Secret Agent

Today morning I saw this post in one of my WhatsApp groups.

The activities human beings are confined to are eating, sleeping, mating, self defence (protecting). In what ways do we differ from the animals. 

There is no one who is interested in SELF REALISATION.

The opportunity of being a human, is to get present to the design of a human being and leading to becoming aware of the purpose of being a human being.

This reminded me of a conversation I had with my 8yr old son recently during our lockdown days. We were lying on the bed trying to sleep, it was almost midnight. My son popped a question, his usual habit, curiosity at its best when it’s time to catch sleep. “Mom why I am born, why I came to earth?” He could not complete the question he stopped, he was emotional, in a trembling voice, he continued clearing his throat. “If I had to die eventually then why did I ever come here?” My instant reaction, “Ohh!! He is such a cutie pie,” I said to myself. I could sense the fear of death and separation from the loved ones in his question. But most importantly why this question, he was curious why is he here for. I smiled as if I knew the answer. I said “ its a good question, and I am glad you are curious about this at a very early stage of life”. We continued the conversation. “So are you interested to know why are you here.” He was excited, attentive, staring at me. I said “you are God’s Secret Agent and you are here for a unique mission. HE has sent you here”. Suddenly the avenger inside him awakened. He replied “I am a secret agent, really Mom”. I said “yes absolutely”. He could not wait immediately asked “what’s my mission”. I said “you need to figure it out. I am clear you are here for a purpose, but what is that you have to discover. God will lead you through but you have to find it. Each one of us are here for a reason”. His next question why are you here Mom? What’s your mission?

I sighed and said “I am 40 and I am yet to figure it out”. In that moment I thought I demotivated him, considering the whole hype I created around his curiosity. I made it sound a difficult thing to do, then I said “I am working on it. It will be something that I love to do, something I would like to leave for the next generation. Let’s talk about what you would like to be or do that is an amazing idea for you”. He kept thinking, and we continued the conversation. He was looking at what I love to do, he pointed out cleaning, cooking or WhatsApping. I suggested “you could be a great father, isn’t that exciting”, he smiled “or may be an astronaut who explores the solar system. You could be a doctor like your father, or an engineer like me, an athlete or footballer.” There are so many options to choose. Then I made a point, to him, “whatever you choose, you can be the best at it, that’s why I said it’s a unique secret mission.”

I was not just amazed by the question, but moved by the impact, how much it matters to be alive and kicking. I was happy about the curiosity he has about the goals in his life. It reminded me of my childhood definition of success I derived from the environment to setup my goals in life. My goals were very simple, a mobile, a laptop, a car and a house and life is a done deal. I achieved all of it in my early 30s. What next now, handover these material goals to your children and mentor, monitor them, they get it too. Or there is something more to my life. This question made me do many courses with Landmark Education. To figure it out why I am here for, what difference do I make in this world. Add few numbers to the world population and die one day. 

The conversation to dwell in finding the purpose of one’s life, is crazily engaging and it is a tough nut to crack. It’s easier to set up goals for the next five years or for Life. The conversation for self realisation is not for those who are worried about their bread and butter on a daily basis, but it’s for those who can make a difference to these millions of people who deal with hunger, hygiene, shelter, safety everyday.

I created a curriculum for Self-Awareness and Life-Skills Training Programs for young people, and kept it in the shelf considering there is no one interested in these conversations of self-discovery and self-belief in children. A typical journey of a human being is a race to become better. When you are a child you want to grow up to be more powerful and experience freedom. As teenagers you strive to be smarter, topper, date or mate the hottest and most desirable. As an adult you struggle to get into the best university, to get a top job, and a worthy spouse. In your middle age you work hard to create wealth and a comfortable living. A better car, a bigger house, bank balance. In old age, you strive to have good health and good times with family. And then you wait to die. 

Where do I live and eventually exist, in chasing these goals, in my bank account, or materials I own, or my mobile phone or social media accounts or in my body, or mind. YOU exist in your PURPOSE. 

My 10 years old daughter once asked me why do we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's birthday when he is not there any more. I told her, "he did great things for humanity. We celebrate his life. When you do great things your birthdays will also be celebrated even when you are not there."

Now did I inspire her to be a LEADER or follow the Leader. The values and principles to be used to make a better life. I looked at what was expected out of me as a child. Get good grades, get a nice job, get married and have babies. No one expected me to be a Leader to do great things. 

Mr Robin Sharma says, only 5% of the population strive to become LEGENDS. The rest of the population either struggle for survival daily or race for a better and bigger life. Surprisingly each one of us is capable of becoming a GENIUS.

It takes COURAGE to look into your own design of being a human. It takes courage to TRANSFORM the ordinary being of self-indulgences, eating, sleeping, mating and self defence (protecting) patterns into EXTRAORDINARY self expression, as contribution to the planet, service to mankind, freedom and peace for humanity.

Acknowledgements for Team Management and Leadership Program offered Globally

Team Management and Leadership Program Sep 2017 – May 2020

I have spent almost three years in this course, being part of Team Chennai. I can clearly see that I am not the same person who walked in for Mumbai weekend as Team 1 New View. I am grateful that Classroom Leader KK didn’t give up on me and enrolled me for this course. I joined this program with the intention to expand the business by effectively managing team and team work for success.

I caught up with the Team Members on Friday evening dinner post T1 new view orientation. All members were new faces, who’s who conversations were initiated. Saturday afternoon 12pm the intention of the new quarter conversation was created and new view T1s were invited to share. I raised my hand sitting at the back of the room with 350 odd participants from all over India. The Weekend Leader picked me to come upfront and share. I walked up to the stage to face a huge audience that could make me nervous, but I created what I got from the intention of quarter. I walked back slowly, as I was about to reach my seat when the Global Leader called me from the other side of the room to come back to the mike on stage. I eventually walked back to the stage. It took a minute for me to reach the mike again, and when I looked at the audience, each one in the room was now listening intentionally, eyes and ears open to hear me. The Global Leader said, “could you please recreate what you shared just now”. I confidently and clearly recreated what I got from the intention of the quarter. And when I completed speaking the Global Leader said “you got what is TMLP" she wondered how as a new view I could speculate on the intention of the quarter statement to create TMLP. I was surprised to hear that and wondered what I will do in the next two years in the course when I got the program at the very first conversation of the weekend.

The rest of my journey has been historic with many shockers and bouncers like these. Starting from accountabilities as debut Head Coach to Team 2 Team Leader locked down. I throughly enjoyed the opportunities to be coached by T2s Liggy, Amrith, Saravanan, Shankarlal, to be mentored by Course Leaders Vivek, Hari, Manthan, to be loved by Classroom Leaders KK, Hemant and to be demanded by Jagdeesh the Program Manager. 

Nevertheless mention my partnership with my buddies and coachees, Team Chennai, Team India and Global Games Teams. 

I acknowledge EVERYONE associated with this course, Leadership body to the Assisting Team to have contributed to me in a MILLION ways. 

LOVE and GRATITUDE for all TMLP participants and GLOBAL LEADERS worldwide. 

Ranjini Sanjay signing off as T2 complete. 

Essence of Communication is Intention

It’s dinner time and as usual my daughter and son are at the table, having dinner and getting into conversations which are the most crucial to be resolved at this time. They discuss world news, historic inventions, discoveries, facts and concerns. Focus moves from enjoying the food to proving a point.

In a moment, my patience breaks and the Bhadrakali (Goddess Devi) inside me comes out to perform. I would start shouting at them, to finish their meals and get off the table. I will throw all the toys, items spread on the floor into the basket, chanting the automatic recurring dialogues. This is not new for my kids, even the younger toddler is now tuned to these conditions. In my peak performance pressure I will usually throw them out of the house with their toys. But thanks to the current pandemic conditions my kids are relieved that I will not do so.

We go to bed as usual, story telling is complete. I would end up blaming myself for not being cool, with the kids, screwing up everybody’s happiness. My kids will move on, its business as usual it happens often. Next day morning I see this note written by Trisha on the fridge. In a second a smile breaks on my face and the stress I had about last night disappears.

My daughter recreated my communication yesterday and acknowledged me for who I am. Her communication through this note resolved and disappeared my concerns. 

This is the MAGIC of communication in the new paradigm, in the domain of integrity, responsibility and generosity.

Most of the times we are triggered by images, WhatsApp messages, views, expressions and we react. Failure to recreate communication, is a reaction. When we react, our communication is in the old paradigm ie morality domain. 

Experiencing stress, pressure, anger or anxiety. We also have barriers to communicate. Which stops us to express our views, feelings. It’s human to have BARRIERS and TRIGGERS in communication. 

As communication curriculum graduates we are trained to distinguish these barriers and triggers. And effectively deliver the intention of communication which is given by our commitment in the relationship. 

Essence of Communication is Intention. 

My daughter delivered her intention through that note, that she loves me no matter what I am. 

Power and MAGIC of communication is available for everyone to experience, by practicing recreation, find your trigger and barrier, and go beyond to deliver intention. 

Restoring Love and Affinity in any situation, for all relationships, that are important for you. 

https://www.amazon.com/author/ranjinisanjay

https://www.landmarkworldwide.com/advanced-programs/communication-programs

Find the GENIUS in you

Human beings are trapped in their point of view, or a view of life. And most of us take it to our grave, never ever able to discover it.

How to distinguish and get out of this trap? The answer to this is available, firstly when you are willing to consider there is a trap. Secondly if you are interested in distinguishing how it has shaped your life, results, choices and relationships.

These traps are given by our inability to recreate communication or life statements we give to ourselves at our very early stages of life. They are self made and until death our lives dwell inside or around these statements, making a trap. 

We have many ways to figure this out, transformative learning, a process of self-discovery. 

Landmark Education provides curriculum for living. This is one of the access, I have used, for building my abilities to distinguish and discover myself. 

In Team Management and Leadership Program for two years I have worked extensively on my abilities to communicate effectively and create new realities which were technically impossible for me. 

I joined this course with an intention to expand my business. In the first year I eventually did expand the business, but I messed up the finances, creating a loss, which finally led to closure of my franchisee business of schools. By the end of my first year I created my Business Consulting Enterprise for setting up schools, services for training and development, and a new baby. 

The New Baby commitment pushed me to work from home, mostly doing nothing with respect to business development. I tried to quit the course twice in the second year. But for the love of my team members, I continued to complete the course powerfully this month. 

My journey of self-discovery and transformation begins with Landmark Forum, in 2014, as Software Engineer and mother of two children, I was a pretty settled soul, perfect family and workplace. But I was curious about the purpose of my life. 

After Forum, I quit my corporate job to start my first school, I pursued my passion for education. Since then having done many courses with Landmark, past 6 years I have played many games in life, starting from engendering a road trip from Chennai to Himalayas, to creating a Web Series. I have been, Edupreneur, Public Speaker, Coach, Singer, Blogger, Cyclist and a self-published Author. 

I have loosened my trap of a perfectionist, independent and caring person to be a Leader in Life, unfettered by people or circumstances around me.

Life is unpredictable, yet a unique opportunity to get the best of you.

Game in the World technology of Team Management and Leadership Program gives you the access to find the GENIUS in you. It will allow you to create possibilities that defy the logical mind. Fear of Failure will make you give up everyday. Winning this game, is given by converting your pain into Power and resentment into Fulfillment. Managing the integrity of your participation will make you the MASTER creator of your life.

Take the road to self-discovery and transformation to find the GENIUS in you. 

Register for the upcoming Landmark Forum in your city to get a new sense of freedom, and power, that allows full self expression and peace of mind.

 

https://www.amazon.com/author/ranjinisanjay

www.landmarkworldwide.com