I like improving constantly and like to do something different from routine everyday. This is what makes my day. I am on the lookout constantly for

 

1. Learning a new idea and trying it out

2. Make new friendships

3. Help someone (by hinting an idea, giving information or suggesting an improvement)

4. Share something good

5. Do something different

 

I have observed my own tendency to do this constantly. This zeal for continuous improvement makes me take up activities different from my routine. There are various things I try to do

 

1. Learning a new idea and trying it out:

 

I get a new idea from various sources. I keep looking for them. It may be any area: work, family, personal life. I feel there is always scope for improvement in everything I do. I look for hints in articles I read in newspaper, e-mails I receive, books I read. Anytime a new idea stares at me, I adopt it. I try the idea sincerely and once I find it is useful I make it part of my routine. This has helped in adopting best practices and make things a little easier.

 

2. Make new friendships

In the virtual world of internet there are tremendous opportunities to get to know new people. I don't do it randomly. But rather I get to know a few persons every month because they visit my homepage or I post a comment on their views in some e-mail I receive etc. It so happens that most of the times we share some common view or idea and this results in a good relationship. It is a challenge to maintain the relationship but I do my best.

 

3.  Help Someone

I am always on the look out to help someone. To make their life a little easier by sharing my happiness or positive attitude. There are lot of ways I know that can be used to help others.

a. Give information: Someone might be looking for some information you have. Give the information so that they can go ahead.

b. Suggest a new idea: Suggest to someone how to improve something they are doing which helps them to be more productive, find their own potential

c. Support them: Supporting may be done by listening to others views or agreeing with their views.

d. Doing justice to roles: By knowing that my roles of father, husband, brother, son etc are important, instead of getting too focused on selfish goals, spend adequate time with others who matter and help them grow and have a good time too.

 

I do find there are always more ways to help others in this world and I do something or the other.

 

4. Share something good

My desire to explore new things always brings a new idea or book or something else to my attention. And I feel impatient till I share this with someone else. It may be even a small tip in the tools I use or a big productivity improvement. I have a deep desire to share that. Despite maintaining a homepage, having two mailing lists to share something I learned during the week or earlier (one for Software Engineering, another for Spiritual articles) I feel I am not sharing enough. I expand 'my horizons' constantly and look for ways of telling others something I have learned. Towards this I spend lot of time and basic purpose of maintaining this homepage is only this. "Share with others what you know"

 

5. Do something different

Besides all the routine work I do at home or office, I always try to do something that makes me unique. By taking an initiative at work to bring a process improvement or putting an idea to practice I constantly strive to be different.

 

With all this constant challenges I throw myself I find every day dynamic, filled with lot of energy. I never feel a day is gone waste and I always feel I am leading a complete life. Every day of my life counts and every week, month, year is something I cherish that I have lived my life to the "full" and my life is not wasted.

 

Some examples:

Following are a few things I did last month in various categories I mentioned above:

1. Learning a new idea: I came across Microsoft Money 2002 tool that can be used to track personal expenses. I immediately downloaded and started using it on a trial basis. I found a new and improved way and I am happy that I have improved my productivity in Personal Financial Management

2. Make new friendships: I received at least 10 mails giving feedback about my articles on my homepage and some from new people. I enjoyed interacting with them and communicated 'sincerely' to convey whatever I know and hope to maintain contact with them sometime or other. I invite most of them to join my mailing list so that they know what I am up to and receive mails once in a while from them.

3. Help Someone: There were many small ways I was able to a few people in last few weeks by giving them appropriate information and support. At least on the family front, I try to do justice to my roles of husband and father by consciously spending some precious time with time during weekends. My daughter likes to play ball with me during weekends, though I feel like reading a book or watch TV than playing, I consciously feel by spending time with my daughter I will help in her emotional growth. Though this is my duty, I can easily avoid this by becoming selfish. I also shared information I have based on my experience so that others can put this to practical use.

4. Share something good:  I happened to finish two good books in last couple of months. I prepared a brief book review on both the books and shared with people I know who will be benefited by the same. I recommended this book to everyone in my team and my manager ordered a few books for the benefit of team. By sharing this I feel I am able to contribute in a small way to "world" around me.

5. Do something different: Instead of restricting myself to routine tasks at work, I go a step ahead and prepared an article for submission to a proper forum. I wrote and submitted an article on Testing to Testing forum at www.stickyminds.com

 

The list goes on. I try to keep track of all the things I managed to do and when I read over this I feel happy with the way I am leading my life. This makes me glad and positive. This makes me "SELF MOTIVATED".

 

Despite all efforts I spend I still so much energy and rarely get tired and feel more motivated. I realize being "Self-motivated" is a blessing of God.

Summary

It is very easy to lose focus in our life and getting into a 'rut'. We are so much dragged into our routine and we get bored. When we get bored and overwhelmed we feel we are wasting our life. We feel we are not achieving things we are capable of. Everyone can make their days and years count by following something similar to what I try to do. Make a list of things you enjoy doing and just DO IT. Do it on daily basis and you will enjoy life. Life is a journey and not a destination. Don't plan that 'some day' you will enjoy your life. Enjoy every thing you do and make every day count. Look for small ways in which you can enhance your life and fill it with energy, enthusiasm and happiness. Wish you all the best.