Tuesday 21 February 2017

Why Quitting Is Sometimes The Right Thing To Do?

Source: Unsplash

“He was weak so he quit”. This is the most common tagline given to those who quit. Other popular ones are, “he didn’t want to work hard” or “he wanted an easy way out”.  From an early age, we were taught that there is dignity to finish what we started and that leaving something midway is an act of weakness. “Winners don’t quit!” is a dogma to be remembered for life. We were not just taught this dogma but constantly reminded subtly at every stage of life. We were told to study for extra hours and shorten our play time because scoring less marks in a test was not good. We were told to be the best in the dance class, drawing class and tuition class or for that matter in every class because our parents had invested a lot of money in it. We were told to hold on to a good course or job because it was the wise thing to do. In a nutshell, we were constantly told that there is honor in finishing what we started and that quitting is not even an option. 

This principle has undoubtedly inspired many of us and motivated us to keep on going when greeted with a pitfall. Even we cannot deny that we love hearing stories of people who have achieved something great despite all the obstacles. They inspire us and we want to be like them. Would we be interested in watching a movie where the hero did not fight because there were too many villains and complications? The idea of finishing the race is so intimidating and enamored that we ourselves tend to consider quitting as wrong. We fail to give importance to the fact that in both real life and motion picture the heroes have one thing in common, they achieve what they desire and they are voluntarily determined to do it.   


Source: Unsplash

On one side we are told that time is precious and that we should make the best use of it and on the other side, we are asked to hold on to something we do not enjoy just because finishing is important. What is the value of sticking to and achieving something we never wanted but did so because again, it was the right thing to do? Isn’t it more logical and worthwhile to quit something we do not like and invest our time and effort into achieving something we love after all one life is all we have?

 It is important to understand that there is a difference between quitting and giving up in such cases. Giving up means we are no longer willing to make efforts whereas quitting means we are willing to make efforts in something more worthwhile. We are willing to make a sacrifice to follow our passion and not willing to compromise with our happiness, is what quitting really means. Giving up is an act of cowardice whereas quitting is an act of bravery. One needs great courage to quit something and start something new that he enjoys from scratch amidst the barrage of criticism.


Twinkle Khanna, a famous actor, interior designer, columnist and a writer, writes in her book titled Mrs. Funny Bones;  

Each day that you persist in a situation where you are miserable is a day wasted on the path that would lead you to happiness. There’s difference between trying and holding. When we were growing up, all we were told was, “try and try harder till you die” but today life is different, there is bravery in quitting, in not staying in one place for the sake of it.


  


My intention behind writing this post is not to promote quitting but to stop considering quitting as a taboo. Sometimes quitting is okay and sometimes even the best thing to do. We have to see things through and properly evaluate our situation before quitting something. Many of us have stories when we quit something for inappropriate reasons as kids. I remember myself quitting basketball coaching because I didn’t like the warm up sessions. Even as adults we may make faulty decisions and quit something on illogical grounds, so it is important to dig into the crux of the matter and make quitting as one of the wisest decisions of our life rather than a mistake. Remember that we are quitting to voluntarily deposit more hard work rather than running away from hard work.

Monday 13 February 2017

Save Money Easily With These 3 Tips by Warren Buffet

Source: Fortune Live Media/ flickr Creative Commons license

Warren Buffett, The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and popularly known as the “Oracle of Omaha”, ranked number two on the Forbes 400 richest men for 15 years straight. According to Forbes, his Real Time Net Worth is $73.8 Billion and he ranks sixth among the richest men in the world as of 2017.

It is rightly said by wise men that wealth cannot be accumulated in days or with shortcuts and that most successful men start early in their lives. The life journey of this business leader, excellent investor and a highly regarded Philanthropist is the best example of what those wise men said.

Warren Buffett purchased his first share at the age of 11, by 13, he was running his own businesses as a paperboy and selling his own horseracing tip sheet and became a millionaire by his 30’s.
 He once said, “I always knew I was going to be rich, I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute”. It’s quite apparent from his life that it was not mere serendipity on which his fortunes thrived but it thrived on his sincerity, sagaciousness and modesty. 

As much as he is known for his success and richness, he is equally known for his frugality. His advice and tips on saving and investment are enlightening and something which can be easily followed by anyone. 

”Don't save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving” - Warren Buffett

Saving money can be easier by following these 3 simple yet effective tips by Warren Buffett

 

1)      Practice Living a Simple Life 

 

 
Source: Unsplash


Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world still lives in the same house in Omaha, Nebraska which he bought in 1958. When asked about the reason behind it in a BBC interview, he said, “I’m happy there. I’d move if I thought I’d be happier someplace else”, “How would I improve my life by having 10 houses around the globe?” This gives us an insight that even after being a millionaire his notion of happiness hasn’t changed.

Often we perceive a man as wealthy just because he spends a lot, whereas the real scenario could be different. This man who may not be not so wealthy enjoys being considered one and hence continues spending more than he earns. He feels the urge to maintain a certain lifestyle. This is the case of many of us today. Often we spend more than we have because we think it’s the right thing to do or because the society considers it elite and expects us to do so. Like throwing a big party on our 18th birthday or buying a bigger car when we are promoted. This demonstration effect, the need to “maintain a lifestyle” is the main reason why many people are in debt.

We also often perceive a man as happy just because he is wealthy and lives lavishly but again the real scenario could be different. Our wrong notion of considering luxury and happiness as synonyms is the real reason we cannot save. Opulence is attractive but not enriching, whereas modesty is not attractive but is enriching. We are so used to take the easier way that we end up spending a lot. We take the cab instead of the bus, we book movie tickets online even though the multiplex is just near our house. If we avoid spending on such useless luxuries, we’ll be a lot richer.  Warren Buffett says that if we can differentiate between luxury and happiness, we can save a lot and thus become truly wealthy.


     2) Spend Wisely

Source: Unsplash


Many of us don’t think before making a purchase. We buy gadgets that we don’t understand, buy apparels just because they’re trendy, attend a concert just because it’s the talk of the town. Before making a purchase, we should check whether the product is going to help us in any way or whether it’s a good investment. Quite often we find an old piece of clothing from our wardrobe and think, “why did I even buy this?" Or it also happens that we buy a product, bring it home and think, “I should have bought the other one.Warren Buffet quotes, “If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need. Quite true for a majority of us.
  
Don’t fall for the sales techniques that the companies often use. We get intimidated when we hear “Buy two and get one free” and end up buying three t-shirts of nearly the same kind and feel happy that we brought home something free. Free in the commercial market is a myth. If we don’t fall into such traps and avoid buying things that we don’t require, we can save a lot and be able to buy things that we actually require. If Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world is frugal and likes buying things at a bargained rate, why can’t we? Look out for good deal and sales. If you anticipate the desired product to be put on sale, waiting for the sale is more logical than buying the product at the current high price. Practice frugality like Mr. Buffet.

Warren Buffet once said, “Long ago, Ben Graham taught me that ‘Price is what you pay; value is what you get.’ Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.” Higher prices do not always mean higher quality. We often spend on branded items and compromise with quality best suited for us. If we avoid our vision to be blurred with branded items and look for quality, we’ll be better satisfied and be able to save a lot for the future

     3)      Live a Luxurious Life

 

Source: Unsplash


Warren Buffet says that if we do a job that we love and enjoy, we are actually living a luxurious life. During an interview with CNBC, Warren Buffett quoted, "Success is really doing what you love and doing it well. It's as simple as that. Really getting to do what you love to do everyday - that's really the ultimate luxury…your standard of living is not equal to your cost of living." And what Buffett loves to do everyday is work at Berkshire Hathaway.

If we are happy in the job that we are doing, we’ll refrain from looking for happiness by spending on useless things.  Most of us are not able to save because we look for materialistic pleasure which is temporary. We associate happiness or enjoyment with a material and spend impetuously and when the temporary enjoyment of that material ends, we spend again. If we do not have a fulfilling job, we can at least spend on a fulfilling hobby. This way we can control our mind from wandering around intimidating commodities, be focused on what is fruitful and ultimately save a lot of money.

Warren Buffett says that investing in oneself is the best investment, a luxury in every sense of the word. In one of his speeches, he said, “Imagine that you had a car and that was the only car you'd have for your entire lifetime. Of course, you'd care for it well, changing the oil more frequently than necessary, driving carefully, etc. Now, consider that you only have one mind and one body. Prepare them for life, care for them. You can enhance your mind over time. A person's main asset is themselves, so preserve and enhance yourself.”

We are extremely precious therefore invest as much as you can on yourself, starting from right now and in no time you will get tremendous returns. This way you are saving today and investing for the future.

Learn more about saving and investment by watching this amazing video on YouTube One idiot The Movie

Saturday 4 February 2017

Best Locations Near Ahmedabad For an Ideal Pre Wedding Shoot



A wedding in India is a humongous affair. An event so pure and pious and at the same time so delightful and electrifying! It marks the inception of a relationship between not just two people, but two families. A grace-filled event where two families vow to be together through ups and downs and together solemnize the love between two people.
The beginning of such a grace-filled togetherness begins with the courtship period. Courtship period is a pathway leading towards the union of two beautiful people. A pathway where these two people and their families bond together, commit together, laugh together and prepare together for the big event. Preparation is the most important ingredient in this process and a pre-wedding shoot reflects this preparation. A pre-wedding shoot is not just a collection of pretty photos but an embodiment of - The captivating vibe between the bride and groom, their comfort level, their spontaneity and frivolity and at the same time their nervousness and coyness. 

Pre-wedding shoot is in vogue and many Indians today are following this trend. There are many beautiful locations in India where you can capture your courtship romance. But for the lovely Amdavadi’s, we have listed below the best locations near Ahmedabad for an ideal pre-wedding shoot recommended by the best wedding photographers in the city. 

Best Locations Near Ahmedabad For an Ideal Pre-Wedding Shoot 

1.  French Haveli

Photo Credits: Peachart Photography http://www.preachart.com/


This boutique heritage hotel, restored by the French architects cannot be overlooked by the people who prefer color and flamboyance. Located in Dhal Ni Pol, Raipur; This haveli with its colorful windows, charismatic interiors, an artistic courtroom; is a true piece of art in every sense of the world.  


 2. The House of MG

Photo credits: Varun Shah http://www.varunsclick.com/

      The tranquillity of this heritage hotel overpowers the hustle bustle of the busy street of Lal Darwaja on which it is located. The classic patio, large spacious courtyard with dark wooden furniture and mosaic flooring, walls decorated with museum quality textiles and archival family photographs of the great Mangaldas family; all together create a picturesque location for a photoshoot. This heritage hotel with a touch of aesthetic modernity should be an ideal location for all those looking for a vintage themed pre-wedding shoot

      
      3.   Polo Forest

Photo Credits: Tarun Chouhan https://www.instagram.com/tarunchouhan_ph/


This ancient site, located approximately 160 kilometers from Ahmedabad in Idar, is known as the gateway to Rajasthan. This archaeological site, once known to be a hiding place for rulers, carries splendid dilapidated temples, a large canopy of trees and plants, exquisite waterfalls and diverse wildlife on its bosom.  Polo forest is definitely an idyllic location for a pre-wedding shoot and most recommended for the nature lovers. 

4.   Sarkhej Roza

Photo Credits: Peachart Photography http://www.preachart.com/


This is the most sought after locations for all the shutterbugs in Ahmedabad. It is a platform where three distinct worlds coexist, namely royal, religious and social. This monument is remarkable for its Indo- Saracenic composition with exquisitely crafted zarokhas, jalis, carvings, domes and ingenious engineering. The ruins of royalty, adorned by the glowing medallion of the city sky; creates a mesmerizing location for a royal couple.

    5.    Champaner

Photo Credits: Tarun Chouhan https://www.instagram.com/tarunchouhan_ph/


The Champaner – Pavagadh archaeological park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located in the Panchmahal district approximately 150 kilometers from Ahmedabad. It is not an overstatement to call this entire city of Champaner, a monument. Marked with intricately woven Hindu-Muslim architecture with historical and mythological importance, this ancient capital city of Gujarat is best for all those looking for a classic pre-wedding shoot.

6. Adalaj Ni Vav

Photo Credits: Peachart Photography http://www.preachart.com/


Set in the quiet village of Adalaj, this five-storeyed octagonal well is yet another magnificent example of the rich cultural and architectural heritage of Ahmedabad. The harmonious play of intricate floral patterns and walls elaborately carved into ornamentation and mythological scenes, seamlessly complimented with a flight of umpteen stars; fills everyone who glances at it with astonishment and reverence. This site is an embodiment of culture and ethos and hence highly recommended for a pre-wedding shoot based on the same theme.

Source: Gujarat Tourism http://www.gujarattourism.com/