Fight Science

I recently caught an episode of “Fight Science” on the National Geographic channel and was awestruck by some of the techniques deployed out there for sport and performance. This particular episode was about the military special forces from around the world. Each of the three subjects were subjected to extreme conditions that would be close to fatal for an average Joe and their ability did not diminish and in some cases actually improved a little bit. How is this possible?

Being healthy and exceptionally built are one part of the answer but the main reason is sheer will power and determination combined with years of extensive training that pushes them to their mental and physical limits. Only then are they able to make split second moves without doubting their abilities.

I had a poster in my office room for a long time that said “Success is like a stream cutting through the ragged rocks”. In time, the rocks smoothen and bend to the will of the stream. In every aspect of our life, we need to keep pushing ourself a little bit outside our comfort zone. Only then will new opportunities present themselves. The willingness to take risk is often rewarded.

Some examples from real life:

1. Do you want to exercise regularly? Does your body reject the idea and the mind finds excuses to avoid the initial uncomfortable feeling? Then get off your butt, and take the first step. Start with a 5 minute workout and add a minute every few workout till you reach you target. If the target is 30 minutes on the treadmill, then it could take a month or so to achieve but you will get there. The satisfaction of achievement in itself is an adrenaline rush.

2. Do you want to take those extra courses to further your career? What is stopping you? If it is the thought of working weeknights or spending long hours on the weekends away from the family then just do it. Talk to your family that you want to take these courses but it will take your time away from them for a few weeks(months or years), and chances are you will get support from them. Take the first step by enrolling in the course.

3. Have you been dating a person for some time now and are ready to make a commitment but just delaying it? Talk to the other person about their thoughts on a commitment from you. This will either free you from the current dilemma or send you on a honeymoon. Either way, you will feel proud of yourself for doing this.

4. You have taken the first step of making a to-do list but are overwhelmed by the number of tasks? Take the most important task, start working on it now. Chances are you will have covered up a lot of ground within a short time. Keep at it and soon that list will start shrinking. Sit on the list and it will only get bigger and many times those small pesky tasks end up being bigger problems.

5. You feel your skills are not being appreciated in your current job? Talk to your manager and ask how your skills can be used in the organization. Ask how you would be compensated for taking on the additional work. Without you speaking up, it is very unlikely your manager will know of your skills and growth requirements. If your manager doesn’t appreciate your skills, ask what is lacking and what can be done about it. If you end up with a jerk as a manager it might even be time to look for another job within that organization or elsewhere.

The lesson to take away is “The best time is now” and “You need to constantly push yourself slightly out of your comfort zone in all aspects of life”.

Related Links: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/fightscience/

Needs, Wants & Will power

A need is something that is required or essential but a want is something desirable disguised as a need. Can you differentiate between your needs and wants? How much of you spending is on impulse or from a desire created by the media or possession of an item by a friend or colleague? Countless people fall prey to spending and living beyond their means and eventually all it takes is one strike to wipe them out. When it comes down to basics, we humans actually have very few needs: Shelter (house, clothing), Food. Socializing and the desire to reproduce come in a close second.

Marketing by definition is presenting a want as a need. Manufacturers rely on advertisements to consistently sell us products. Do you create a long-term budget (e.g. 5 years), a mid-term budget (1-year) and a short-term budget(1 month), write down your needs and wants. How much of your paycheck do you dedicate to your need, your family’s need, savings before you decide to fulfil a want. Getting a credit card is relatively easy, swiping it for goods is much more easier but paying back the large bill is a whole new game. I am not sure how credit cards are different from loan sharks? Many charge 20% plus a year and will lend you money way beyond your means in the hopes that once you are trapped, you will have no escape. Filing for bankruptcy is not always the answer here.

There are many articles out there that talk about getting out of debt, but very few that talk about living a debt free life. Credit-counseling and debt-consolidation are a multi-billion dollar industries. Even the 30 year home mortgage is setup to take advantage of an average home owner moving every 6 years. Every 6 years or so, a person buys a new home (usually larger and more expensive), finances with a 30 year loan, rarely puts 20% plus as down-payment and spends the next 6 or so years paying interest on the loan without really reducing the principal. There are pundits who advocate the tax benefit of paying interest which is BS I will leave for another time.

Here are some more examples:

1. Should I buy a house now? Depending on your situation you might actually be better off paying rent for a 2 bedroom apartment. Don’t buy a house because your friend just bought one.

2. Should I buy a new or an used car or lease? Should I buy a Lexus or is the Corrola good enough for me? Am I buying this car because it is something I have always wanted or is it because you want to show off to your family and friends. It is said that a vehicle loses 20% of it’s value, the moment a buyer drives it out of the dealers lot. Do you really want to pay the dealer 20% for the new car or can you buy an used car in a good condition 1 year old for 30% off. What is your budget and how much and how long will it take you to pay off the loan (remember a car loan is paid from after-tax income).

3. Repair the old computer or buy that new computer you saw at the store? Many times, repairing an item is better than purchasing a new one. What about that high-definition digital camera that your friend just bought? Do you need it or want it? And then can you afford it?

4. What is your buffer? Can you afford the same lifestyle after losing your current job? How long can you survive before you get the next job? What if the economy is in a recession and finding a job takes over 6 months? What about a long-term disability?

5. Gifts. Should you buy expensive gifts for everyone because you are scarred of what they might think? Or a nice card and/or phone conversation is sufficient? Will these same people be there in your time of need?

6. Should you buy that snow-blower or clear the the snow yourself or hire someone to clear the snow? A typical snow-blower costs $600 + annual maintenance costs. If help is hard to get or it snows often in your area then buying a blower might be justified. If you are in good health, a solution may be to barter with a neighbour. Promise to mow his lawn once a month in return for him clearing the snow in your driveway and sidewalk using his snow blower.

The rules of living debt-free are pretty simple: 

1. Always have a budget. It provides you a clear map of your income and expenses.

2. Avoid debt when possible. Its a leverage that could be good but over-leverage can also kill your finances. Know how much debt is tolerable for you.

3. If already in debt, make paying it back one of the more important needs. Do not take on new debt unless this one is reduced to a tolerable level.

4. Maintain a lifestyle that will sustain you even when you lose your job or have a reduced income for a year.

Feed the needs first, save for the long-term and only then look at feeding a want. One way to live is to have a clear understanding of ones needs and what is required to sustain those needs over a long period of time.

eco-friendly housing

I have always had a dream of building my own house that is efficient & eco-friendly but still enjoying the amenities of modern living. I have been reading about some of the techniques that can be deployed for new developments without substantially increasing the initial cost.

 1. Location of the house – In real-estate it’s always “Location,Location & Location” and when designing a eco-friendly house, location is key. A good location will provide for maximum use of abundant locally available materials e.g. full sun, wind, rain, well etc.

2. Benefiting from the Sun – In colder climates, it is best to layout the house to maximize the exposure from the sun. Also using windows with light reflecting off heat-radiating materials, proper insulation to retain the heat, heating water and even generating electricity are some potential ways to exploit the abundant power of the sun. From a cost point of view though, generating electricity even with rebates from federal and state governments, is far more expensive.

3. Benefiting from the Wind – Using Windmills to generate electricity, designing the house to allow wind flowing for cooling and ventilating the house during summer and even power pumps to move water to the water mini-towers. But most people like trees around their houses which screen out the wind, windmills look ugly and birds get killed so using the wind for cooling and ventilating the house is a cheap option with proper home design.

4. Benefiting from the Rain – Locations with healthy rainfall can collect the water and use it for watering plants, laundary and toilets. Filtering the water before use would also allow it to be used for bathing. The problem is open standing water goes bad quickly so use of a small tank to store the water is a good idea. Mounting the tank on the roof would allow for some water pressure. Having a covered well also is beneficial and reduces dependencies on the local water supply but well water comes with lots of risks and water needs to be treated and filtered before use.

5. Heat Pumps – Use of these devices allow for efficient heating & cooling of houses where temperature extremes exist. These units are more expensive though.

6. Storage spaces – Storage space is always at a premium and sooner or later, you will hit this issue. Storage areas need to be created by using hidden spaces, corners and maximizing the amount of easily accessible areas in the house by reducing stairs, hallways etc.

Several more ideas exist but in the end it is proper designing of the house that makes most of the difference. Spend the time and money to look for a good designer first!

Reprogramming the brain

I read a very interesting article about fear. I was interested in the section about fear of things (Phobia) and how the brain can be de-programmed. Not considering extremities, this got me thinking about how many things in our life do we avoid for fear of either losing or gaining. An example is if you burned your finger as a child, how do you approach any hot object or fire? If you are now told to hold a torch and run, does the sight of a flame bring back the memories, or just knowing that it is hot causes you to withdraw or feeling the heat when holding the torch causes you a anxiety? If others (trusted family or experts) say that it is a cold flame and will not burn, what are the thoughts going on in your brain? What needs to be done to bring you to a level that you would without hesitation hold the torch and run?

Do you determine the symptoms and take steps to curb them (our typical modern medicine)?
Do you repeatedly take the torch trusting your family, friends and experts till you are completely desensitized?
Do you take psychiatric help?
Do you go to a hypnotist?

And after all this, someone now takes you closer to a large fire pit and asks you to pick up a piece of burning wood using some tongs? what would be your reaction?

In life, there are many examples where we are asked to face our fears.

1. You get sued because someone tripped on your sidewalk and is now permanently disabled or scarred? Your home insurance will typically cover some of it but what are you going through which the case is being worked on?
2. You are walking and get bitten by a dog not on a lease? After the medical treatment and recovery, do you now fear all dogs? Will you have a dog as a pet?
3. You messed up a very critical project at work. Do you fess up and take the heat or do you go into a state of denial and avoidance?
4. A loved one or a close friend dies in a car accident at a local mall. Do you now avoid the mall? Do you stop driving the vehicle or vehicle type he was driving?
5. As an addict (Alcohol, gambling, smoking etc), how many times have you made an attempt at recovery and have you succeeded?
 6. You are asked to give a speech in front of the entire company including top directors, your manager and your peers. Do you go into a panic state and shy away? Or do you take this as a challenge and go for it?

 Can you name a few and how you may have overcome them? 

 For me, I learned early on in life that I need to face my fears. It started with me trying to learn swimming. No matter what I tried, I sank like a stone. One day, I saw all of my close friends were in the deep end of the pool and I was the only one in the shallow area. I decided that I wanted to be with them, so I spoke to the lifeguard and my friends. I told them that I do not know how to swim but I am going to jump from the diving board into the deep end. Fortunately for me the lifeguard knew me from my earlier sessions at the pool and my friends were also willing to help. I then climbed up to the 9 foot high diving board and just jumped. My heart was racing and I was out of breath and I had a chill go through my spine when I looked down into the deep water. But then I jumped and next thing I know, I am swimming to the shallow end. Call it a miracle or the result of sheer will power combined with the support of trusted friends, I had learned swimming.

From then on, I decided to make a list of my fears sorted by my level of anxiety. Then I decided to take on the most feared first. To come out of it successfully, I enlist the the support of a loving family and close friends and it has worked time and again. Also many time, just the act of accepting that we will face our fear starts off a chain of events that help us face our fears and overcome them.

So go out there and shine your brightest and do not be afraid of making mistakes. It’s not always the mistakes that hurt us but the fear of the repercussions.

Related Links:

http://people.howstuffworks.com/fear.htm

Aquariums

Growing up as a child I have always had numerous pets and aquariums are one of my favorites. There is some sense of pleasure to be derived by being the creator of an ecosystem and seeing it grow with time. If you setup and maintain it just right, watching the small fish swim around is like watching live reality TV without the stupidity. There are times when I sat in front of a fish tank pondering some of the stressful events of the day and have seen myself calm down.

But if you do not maintain the aquarium properly and in a timely manner then you will have all sorts of problems arise sooner or later. Algae, sick or dying fish, scaling on the glass walls, waste accumulating on the decoration and plants.. you get the idea. It’s better to do routine maintenance than have to deal with a large problem later.

That is also how life is. You have to nurture your dreams, fortify your goals, streamline your actions, make timely decisions and also deal with situations out of your control on a regular basis. If you slack off a bit here and there, it’s usually ok but if you walk away from your responsibilities for too long, you are in for a very unclean life. And it usually takes a lot to get back on track just like the fish tank. With the finite amount of time we all have in this world, making too many of these “get back on track mistakes” can be extremely costly in one too many ways.

So stop procrastinating and get moving!

Life Tuneup

For the last few years, I am finding myself slowing sinking into the sands of constant work. Not the 9 to 5 job but the small things like fixing the leaking faucet, cleaning the gutters, feeding the dog, patching up that small hole in the dry wall, putting up a new picture frame, printing the digital pictures, backing up important data on the hard drive, pay the insurance bill, watch out for sneaky terms in the credit card agreements etc.. As you can see, the list just keeps growing and the more I try to take them on the more I sink in deeper.

So I started to look for answers. Turns out I am not the only one being bogged down into the murky depths and there is a ton of help available out there on this. Some of the things that have helped me are

1. Defining Goals and Actions – Although I have heard many say “Life is about the journey and not the destination”, I have yet to meet somebody successful (in my view) who has not set goals. Goals help you focus and line up your actions to achieve your dreams. But like dreams, goals can change too and that is what the journey is all about.

2. Time Management – I started keeping an electronic diary of all the things I do everyday and the amount of time I spend on it. At the end of each month, I run a report and it shows me the time I spent on which activities. The report contains 2 sections, the first being regular things like meals, going to the bathroom, sleeping etc. and the second contains all other activities. I first make sure that I have not been spending more time than normal on the regular things and decide to take appropriate action if necessary. Then I scrutinize the other activities by determining if they are in line with my goals and if I am spending more time on any tasks than necessary. I also look at this list to determine if it would be better to outsource (or delegate) certain tasks when my time could be better spent on other activities.

 3. Exercise and Meditation – As youths we rarely have to worry about our health and at the prime of our life, a deteriorating body and mind are hardly of concern. But with time, like any machine we start wearing down. A regular tune up of the body and mind with proper exercise and meditation helps us lead a healthy life. Having good friends and doing charity work also helps

Hope you also take the next step in digging yourself out of this quicksand and enjoy the fruits of life.

Zatoichi – the way of the sword

I recently started watching the zatoichi series of movies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zatoichi) about a master swordsman who helps the innocent. The key that keeps you watching is that he is blind yet his skills rival that of master samurai. Its a movie after all but for some reason it reminded me of how things move in the stock market.

 I find the markets are blind and will cut you down mercilessly if you take it on. Instead the way is to go with market. Easier said than done but 2 things that have kept me in the game are going with the trend and cutting losses short. The moment you add human emotions, you lose. Yet machines have not been able to consistently meet the market. What gives!