Krish's Corner

Fear and Faith

2012-02-04T07:58:00.000-06:00

Twenty six years ago I made a journey that began with anticipation and was sprinkled with fear. It culminated in a scene that had me clutching my medical records, my police clearance and a marriage certificate that pronounced me wed to my bride who had arranged for this trip. I had arrived in America but was separated from her for about an hour as I was being processed to legally enter this land and begin to make my claim like millions before me. All I wanted was to stand beside her and guide her. I wanted to belong and the fear that gripped me was greater than the faith that I needed. When the door to the processing room opened and I saw her radiant smile as she asked the officer to finish so she could take me to Texas, the fear was replaced with faith. Twenty six years ago fear and faith were never friends in my vocabulary.

A family seeking love and a career warranting more attention than was deserved carved a different path over the next period of life. The highs and lows of achievement and disappointment, and the mix of maturity and foolishness, painted a picture that showed heartache and promise in equal proportions. One step forward on the corporate ladder was counteracted with one broken promise to the ones loved. Faith entered the picture as a substitute to take away the pain and offer a glimpse into something that could not be quantified. Confessions of guilt were usually accompanied by the utterance of clichés of “quality time” and “standard of living.” I am now fearful that I have no faith

True confessions on bent knees every Sunday and then returning to chaotic-normalcy on Monday governed the next phase. Faith in the future had overtaken the gnawing fear of wanting more than I already had and hoping for things that I may not deserve. Love was no longer an action or an emotion but had come full circle to become an ethic. The desire to love was replaced by allowing one to be loved. We know that faith and fear have the same definition, but we should know that we need not have them in equal proportions. Lasting solutions do exist if we search and can be found if we listen. Don’t fear-have faith!

The eagerness and newness of the America I craved when I was twenty has been replaced with the guarantees and certainties of life as I turn fifty. The publishing of books, the documenting of the many miles traveled and the nostalgia of reliving the fondest memories replace fear completely. I am still afraid but now it is a fear that I am not faithful enough, amidst all the evidence of God’s grandeur and provision. The goal of this life then is to fear my faith. Shalom!

Krish Dhanam

Author of “The American Dream from an Indian Heart”

& from “Abstracts to Absolutes”

www.malaministries.org

RINGING IN THE NEW

2011-12-25T07:17:00.003-06:00

In January I will reach a milestone. The mail I receive will have a tone of reverence and support, as well meaning organizations will welcome me to the ranks of those that have completed a half a century on earth. The congratulations will be obligatory, and the tone one of resignation. There will also be the celebration of the inner-circle. Some will resort to jocularity and others to thanksgiving. Many will e-mail me through the social media outlets that have become my platform of communication and some will post versions of humor on various "walls." I will marvel at the friendship of some, befriend some new ones and unfriend some who have crossed the line. This is the speed of the world we live in and the rapidity at which milestones are met. I will reflect on the new that is yet to be while using the old as a foundation.

Fifty was just a number when I counted. It was monumental when my parents celebrated their golden anniversary. It was remarkable when my brother crossed that threshold and funny when my friends did. I am now going to be as old as the destination date set at a Zig Ziglar seminar in October of 1991. Two decades ago I wrote down some wild ideas about what would transpire in my life if I just applied myself. I was at the crossroads of doubt and at the very intersection of uncertainty. A successful man got down in his trademark one-kneed stance and asked if I believed that there was a destiny of difference for me. He asked me to search within the depths of my identity to find the newness that could ring in hope and a freshness that could foster change. I believed. I set many goals that day including desires for promotions, success as a speaker and validation from the nation of my birth. Some goals were articulated while others were placed just within the boundary of my imagination

As numbers they would read 50-50-50-5-5. I wanted to see all fifty states and go to fifty countries on at least five continents and have written five books by the time I was fifty. Self-praise has often been equivocated to being half-scandal. The next paragraph is to quantify what a qualitative search has allowed.

With the grace of God and the support of those who did not allow me to wallow in my failures much of this life has been lived. I hope as you read further you will sense the truth in the statement that when a student is ready the teacher will appear. My teachers were the likes of Dr. Ravi Zacharias, Zig Ziglar, Adrian Rogers, Paul Horgen, Dr. Ramesh Richard, my bride, my son, and a list too long to mention. Newness came in the form of advice, betrayal, death, addiction, divorce and many of the things we all deal with on a daily baisis. But as Zig Ziglar said over and over to me-"the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing at all times."

As of today I have been to 47 states, written or collaborated in the outcome of five published works, and have been to 55 countries on six continents. I have shared the stage with two former Presidents and a former first lady, titans of industry, award winning entertainers, captains of enterprise, super bowl winning athletes and dignitaries from every walk of life. What seemed improbable is now probable. What seemed unreachable is now within grasp as I have a whole year to visit the last three states, as technically I will still be in my fiftieth year. I cannot wait to ring in the new of another year, the familiarity of another birthday or just the chance to set and achieve more goals.

What will be the sound of your bell in 2012? Who will you become as the calendar declares that you have lived another year? Why should you look forward to the next birthday or New Year when they seem to come every twelve months? Remember friend, yesterday ended with last night. Today is a new day and is the first day of the rest of your life. Happy New Day to You!

Note: I have just partnered with one of the most successful executives of the last twenty-years to create a transformation continuum that will liberate you in all aspects of your life. Designed to create a fusion between IQ and EQ this process is simple yet effective. If you are interested in having an action plan that is specific and a coaching system that is proven contact us at krish@krishdhanam.com

Predicting the Past

2011-10-22T09:37:00.000-05:00

I write this as I fly home from Indianapolis. I have just spent two days with a friend, client, confidante, supporter, businessman, and fellow believer. He came into my life five years ago when I spoke at an event that he was attending. He then made an effort to know me and pursued that effort. I look back to five years ago and it feels like I was supposed to be in his home five years later. I was comfortable with his bride, and his pets. But we were born in two different parts of the world and in distinctively different cultural settings. Our paths of faith, habit and circumstance should never have intersected but for the pre-ordained will of the master who says he knew both of us before we were conceived.

Brad has since accompanied me to India and shared his passion for the gospel in a church in the very city I was born in. Through a translator he had to explain why a as a successful businessman he would follow an itinerant evangelist half way around the world. God had already predicted this in our past by telling us through His word that he would one day appoint us as spokespersons to the nations. It did not seem possible until we were in the very slums of India experiencing heartache amidst human suffering and celebrating joy through organized effort that we understood how coincidence works.

This weekend was special. I worked with his employees, associates and friends. He was proud of me as I am of him. We are friends. Impacting each other, because a long time before we were ever here the Grand Weaver wove this tapestry of union. India would meet Indiana. Indiana would go to India. India would be invited to Indiana. I can almost predict what would have happened but I am excited about what has happened and look forward to what will happen.

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Grieving With Joy

2011-10-14T05:36:00.002-05:00

They say time heals all wounds and that given enough time we should be able to make peace with ourselves. They also say that if you remember the good times then the anguish and struggle will slowly fade away. But a year after I buried my best friend and lamented the loss of my beloved mother-in-law, the wound still seems fresh. I search for those happy memories but the only thing that stands in the way of a permanent smile is the anguish of separation. But while traveling with my father-in-law in India recently I learned something about memories. He looked at life through the lens of how it was lived and always spoke in the present continuous.

He reminded me of all her accomplishments and how she would be so proud of the work I was doing through the ministry that bears her name. He praised God one morning at 3:00 AM while being grateful that we still had the privilege of serving a Great God. On the first anniversary of her passing he told me that he was happy that she had given him fifty wonderful years. He was grieving with joy.

Today I will take my bride to lunch and then go to the grave of my best friend to thank him for the joy he was in my life. I will celebrate his accomplishments and give him praise for the creative titles he gave to some of my works.

I miss mom and Rich and losing both of them in the same week seemed unfair but I too shall grieve with joy.Today as you look at your own life and the memories that are hidden-thank those that are around, so you don't have to wait. But if they have been separated from you then make sure that you are grateful for the memories and then learn to grieve with joy.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Flower Mound

Words

2011-08-20T03:07:00.001-05:00

"Wake up sleepy head" said the voice at the other end of the telephone. It was Christmas eve of 1992 and my bride called me from half a world away to inform me about her pregnancy. I had just been told that I was going to be a father and the only words I could remember were wake up. "It is a boy" said the lady who was running the gizmo over the goop that was on my brides belly. I could not see anything on the sonogram but played along as I was not going to admit that I could not see my own son between the lines. Simple words but rich with destiny.

"I think it's time " she said on the morning of the 28th of July, 1993. A short while later the nurse said "you can hold him now." I did not want to break him but once I held him I whispered to him so I would not scare him. "I am your daddy son" I said to the little life I held in my hands. "He is beautiful" I said to my mother in law while reminding her that this new born baby was her grandson as she beamed with approval. "He looks just like Anila" said my mother in law to my father in law who was getting the play by play over the phone. Comparative words but fused with devotion

"That's my grandson" said Zig Ziglar to the staff in the hospital giving us assurance as my boy fought for his life at just ten months old. "Tomorrow he starts school" said my bride as she reminded me that I could not have another trip on this important day. Decisive words but laced with direction

"I got my license" he shouted as he darted into the living room. "Be careful" we both yelled as he drove the car away from the house for the first time. He was off running an errand and then he was off running with friends and then he would start running his life. "Wake up son. Happy Birthday. I love you" were the words I said to him on his eighteenth birthday. I was now in India and time had reversed roles and seasons had changed. Determined words but filled with passion.

"Wake up son we have to go the airport" I said to him this morning after we had spent a week looking at colleges. "I love you too dad" he responded as we were landing in Dallas. Soon my boy will choose his own path and we will remember all the words. "Wake up sleepy head" I said to my bride. Defining words but filled with purpose.

Remind yourself of the words of your journey. You will quickly realize that what matters most is the ability to remember the poignancy of the moment when the simplicity of the words interacted with the choices in life.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Hartford, CT

Fashionable Apologies

2011-07-07T08:42:00.000-05:00

From 2008 with an edit

In Surprised by Joy which details his conversion experience C.S.Lewis eloquently paints a picture of the wonder and longing that came from remembering a toy garden his brother had during their childhood in Belfast, Ireland. In describing that moment Lewis states that he does not know where the longing came from but the emptiness of the moment was overwhelming as he reconstructed the memory, but before he could derive happiness from his attempt at instant recall the moment left him as soon as it had appeared. Skipping stones and playing hopscotch fleetingly enter the mind as reminders of a simpler time. As soon as we think of the beauty that was within, the immediacy of today jolts us into reality and we have to say sorry to our thoughts of purity and put them on hold for another day.

Calling a loved one to thank them for the memories and making an effort to return

to the scenes of your youth seem so hard to do. Seven billion people, a couple of hundred

countries, languages interspersed globally and a marketplace without

boundaries finds people everywhere except where the longing in the heart wants

them to be. Every packed bag, every scanned ticket and every stamped passport

tell the same story of miles to go before we reach the destination that has no definition

and a goal that manifests into more longing when we reach it. Rather than

muddle in the mire of this doubt we need to contemplate as to what will fill this

void? Why doesn’t a rational world, full of logic seek answers that are simple and solutions that have stood the test of time? Are there really absolutes in this world that allow man in his quest to walk alongside proven-peace and seek the righteousness of one who loved him so much that it was actually free? Can we look at this world and apologize in the words of John Chrysostom by saying that we have had the honor of inhabiting a planet of grandeur without being asked for rent?

So where am I going with this? The hardest thing for humanity is its frailty to

comprehend the need for something bigger than itself. The most important apology you can make is to yourself for not believing in the simplicity of a divine conductor who is waiting for you to pick up your given instrument to play in his heavenly orchestra. The trips will continue and the years will become memoirs filled with pictures of beaches and reminders of reunions-but the longing for the simplicity of a toy garden or the winding road at the end of your street where you stopped to look back at your childhood home will never fully go away. Look ahead to the one who said I came to love you and in doing so will give you the portrait of a future painted with the gift of your acknowledgement on the canvas of your existence. That’s what I want. Just say “Thank you Lord for granting me favor in accepting my apology.” Your world will become clearer and your journey lighter because for the first time you will see your ride complete in the eyes of the pilot who says, “You are mine and I have claimed you.”

THE JOY OF MENTORING

2011-06-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

One from the archives...with an update

The seminar had just finished and the audience was filing out. The obligatory gestures of acknowledgement and the free-flow of gratitude seemed to be occurring at the customary pace. Then out of the blue my mentor Zig Ziglar gently patted me on the shoulder and said, “I want you to know how proud I am off you.” He added that he was very impressed with the way I had tackled a difficult subject that was originally credited to him. Taken aback at the suddenness of the compliment, I quickly muttered a thank you and continued to shake the hands of the people still leaving the room. I then realized that he had chosen that moment so that he could praise me in public. I had officially been in and around the teachings of this giant of communication for almost sixteen years and he was still praising performance. Here are a few things he taught me that day about effectiveness in mentoring:

Make Your Praise Sincere – Nothing derails a person’s hopes more than patronizing-flattery that is sugar coated. Ensure that the compliments that are given are done so in a time and place where the individual being lauded feels special and validated.
Make your Compliment Specific - By pointing out the exact area of pride he focused on the specifics and thus gave me an opportunity to evaluate my own arsenal. This method is simply classified in the "Ziglar Way" as one where you isolate the strengths and then work on the weaknesses so that uniformity in all roles can be achieved.
Make Your Actions Consistent – As the years have gone by I am still speechless when I get an opportunity to see him. He still aks whether I am making a difference in the world and still says that he is proud of me. This consistency evokes a feeling of security in an otherwise haphazard and chaotic world. Age and time have passed in this relatioship but I will always say that he has been, is now and always will be the most consistent man I have ever known.
Make Your Directive Ongoing – In the world of fast paced ideas and ever evolving technology, relationships in the workplace suffer from short-term commitments. When you mentor someone do so with the intention that it is for a lifetime. Getting educated and inspired on an ongoing basis adds to the growth of a relationship. On average Mr. Ziglar used to buy about six books a year for me that he felt would benefit me. Today I try and carry on that method with those that seek advice from me.

When we finished the obligations of the day and were in the airport waiting to return, he reminded me that watching my growth as a communicator gave him immense joy and he just wanted to thank me for giving him the privilege of mentoring. Wow! All the while I thought I was getting the benefits only to realize that the teacher was enjoying the journey as well. The book of Acts gives us an example of mentoring in having a Paul to look up to, a Barnabas to be encouraged by, and a Timothy to leave it to. The lesson I learned is live to learn and learn to live.

WHAT DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE?

2011-05-29T18:48:00.000-05:00

Looking back on my childhood I fondly remember the sequence of questions that began with why the chicken crossed the road and the resulting depictions of how different world views would answer that question. I recollect how we would mock those whose belief was counter to our own and then create the scenarios that would justify why we thought man acted in a certain way in different parts of the world. Having now seen the world that I imagined and having had the opportunity to interact with a variety of people-groups and their opinions, my questions have changed, I no longer seem to wonder about what others believe and the "why" behind their beliefs-I now seem to wrestle more with what I believe and why I believe it.

A recent trip back to the sandy shoreline of my youth and the conversations had with friends who still ask questions, yielded similar questions of belief. One of my friends asked me if my choice in a different worldview was because of geography? Another volunteered an answer and revealead that in his opinon my choices were because of matrimony. Still another quirked that he was sure that I was subscribing to my theories because of enlightenment and so the evening progressed in a myriad of opinions about my belief. Is belief so difficult that one becomes comfortable with the abstract and allows himself to be swayed by what is popular? Is tradition so strong in the ties that bind that challenging the belief of status-quo is a social taboo and a line not worthy of drawing? Does the geneaology of our lives and the adoration of its inhabitants cause more of a definition about what to belief that the truth? These are the questions that now occupy my mind alongwith the revelation that it would be easier to know more about the innocence of the chicken and the road than the deep thought which reflects on the nature of man.

This week ask yourself what you believe. Are you capabale of asking questions about the meaning of your existence through the lens of your origin and your destiny? Can you sustain the truth revealed in your self-talk when it pertains to issues of purpose, reason, morality and cause? Would you rather skip this challenge and return to the belief that what you don't know will not hurt you? Whatever your choice, it is belief that makes the choice and belief that shapes a life. A wise man once said that fear and faith have the same definition in that they are both based on the un-knowable and the un-quantifiable. I would add that faith and a belief in an absolute conquers the fear of the abstract. The bottom line is, we should not be afraid to believe and maybe ocassionally cross the road like the chicken to see if the other side looks better when looking back.

"We profess to be strangers and pilgrims, seeking after a country of our own,yet we settle down in the most un-stranger like fashion, exactly as if we were quite at home and meant to stay as long as we could. I don't wonder apostolic miracles have died. Apostolic living certainly has." Amy Carmichael

ADVICE TO THE ADVISORS

2011-05-14T04:56:00.002-05:00

The temperature hovered around 115 degrees for the short but eventful trip to India. The kids that had come with great expectations to the youth camp were eager eyed and ready to soak in information ranging from building bridges to entrepreneurship. The resource leaders seemed equipped and the worship leaders seemed ordained. The heat of the tropical sun coupled with the humidity on the shores of the Bay of Bengal seemed to lose their edge when counteracted with the passion stirring in the souls of the youth of India. Here I had come as an advisor to a bastion of possibility a short distance from where I had grown up on the same coastline. But the young girl who wanted to know if some of her decisions would always be held against her changed all that. Her smile was more radiant than a thousand stars and the glint in her eyes showed a promise that was yet to be revealed.

She ministered to me on a couple of occasions using simple verbiage and an abundance of innocence. She had the wonder that Dr. Ravi Zacharias says we all lose as we transcend into adulthood. She had a glow that seemed to radiate amidst the chaos and cacophony of a society trying to cling to its past heritage while swallowing every vestige of capitalism that makes it through the layers of disappointment. How much life had she already seen amidst the maze of confusion and the images of a distorted reality that come with every rising sun? Was there going to be any hope in the words shaped with a reality that seemed to have been crafted in relative comfort half a world away? Her answers seemed to indicate that in time and space both the teacher and the student would leave rejuvenated.

Many others validated the journey this past week as they responded to my queries of doubt and guilt. The young boy from India thanked me for coming and the lady from our Church in Texas, insisted that I keep on going. A friend and encourager asked me to take a deep look inside and a spiritual leader cautioned me to include everyone on the ride. A teacher of my youth shed tears as she wanted her student to not hurt and my bride asked me to forsake all doubt for the journey was just beginning. Dr. Adrian Rogers says that if we all have a purpose to pursue, there is a person to prepare and a price to pay. Dr. John Maxwell suggests that we can pay now and play later or play now and pay later. My advise is that you cannot be someone else but with God and your inner circle you can become the “best you.” That’s my advice, to all of you advisors whom I take very seriously.

Failing at Success

2011-04-22T07:40:00.001-05:00

A post from the past.

A friend once told me that I should stop majoring in minors. Another advised me that I needed to keep the main thing the main thing at all times. And then there was the pearl of wisdom from my bride who reminded me to stop and count the blessings already received. In the hustle and bustle of the pursuit of success and the search for that elusive significance we all seem to be in need of a gentle tug from within to slow down and realize that too much success may indeed be a failure. It sounds so simple yet becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the right balance between work, play, faith, family, finance and recreation. Why is all this success so maddening that in spite of the busyness we feel trapped and empty? How does one comprehend personal betrayal and empty promises when we know that we have succeeded in every arena of life individually but failed when we put the collective result in front of us?

A friend called me and told me of a project that had gone south after months of labor. Another requested prayer for his extended family in another part of the world, who were caught up in property disputes that seemed to spell ruin for familial harmony. Two viably productive, successful denizens of the world of banking and technology trying to cope with the failures of the moment in an otherwise productive and successful life. Do you ever look at all you have accomplished and wonder why some things just don’t make any sense? You give everything you have to a job, and all that you are capable of giving to your family and friends, and there is still that knot of emptiness in the pit of your stomach constantly asking you to do more. You feel that you are failing while trying to be successful. The consolation that you are not alone may be of little solace but understanding how to change may be the answer.

Years ago when I had the privilege of meeting the late Mother Teresa I was given one of her writings which simply asked me to look at success through the prism of a very profound question. She suggested that we would never be content with our pursuits if the definition of success did not have a finite answer to the question, “How much is enough?” This though provoking insight will allow you this week and beyond to measure success by asking yourself to look at your accomplishments in light of what would give you satisfaction. Fred Smith Sr. suggested that a habit of the heart that would allow this to come to fruition was to give more than you had and to keep less than you needed. The only way to succeed at success is to not fail in realizing that we probably already have more to be grateful for in what we have done. Use that as the fuel this week to look around your world so you can share the blessings that you have inherited for just being you.

www.krishdhanam.com
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MEMORIES

2011-04-08T10:25:00.000-05:00

In another time in a different country amidst a crowded market place, I remember sitting across from a beautiful girl. There were friends around who were close and have remained such over the years. But I had eyes for her only and was keen to capture this moment. Having nothing to my name but the love for her and nothing to offer but the promise of a world yet unseen, I asked her to marry me. My friends hurried and found two cheap rings made of steel and glass and with trepidation in my heart and a cheer from those that thought this union was worthy we exchanged those symbols. The memories of that day and all it entailed is forever etched in my heart. Not the details of how the moment came about or the sequence of events that unfolded but the feeling that someone so special and beautiful would ever be mine. She has been my bride and the author of countless such memories for over a quarter of a century.

I have traveled much since and seen most of the free world and captured additional memories along an itinerant life. She has encouraged me and guided me and never once complained about all that was promised that was not delivered. Instead like the unfolding of a painting on a canvas that is known in its finality only to the artist, this bride of mine has divinely blossomed to be the memory that God intended for my present.

With the past behind and the present around the future is a distant thought. But I believe that the value of this life and the unfinished story is a memory for others. Trekking through Hawaii as part of our twenty-five years together we have pledged to the making of new memories. I wanted to write this to just have a memory of how lucky I have been. If you need to live a life of satisfcation begin with the humility that you get to live it at all, then add the blessings that others want you in their painting and finally thank the artist that you were picked to be loved.

THE GAMBLE

2011-03-21T06:02:00.000-05:00

Since we last met on these pages, I have been to India, California (twice), Nevada (twice), Hawaii, Oregon and even made a trip to another city in my home state of Texas. That's almost 25,000 miles or more and a lot of ground covered in India that I cannot even calculate. All of this in less than a month. Most of my friends who fatigue by looking at my itinerary and those well wishers who are concerned for my health all seem to think that the travel schedule and the ensuing hardships are an effort that can be controlled with better choices. I am even encouraged to take it easy, as if to say that the desire to be tired and the effort to cover this turf is a gamble that I took and lost.

I look at it as an ongoing game that seemingly changes it's rules midstream. Just when I think I am winning and feel that the pot is big enough for me to cash in and walk away, the ante goes up and I extend my effort to play harder and win bigger. But I guess it is the same for everyone. Some are trapped in a cube and wish the choice to leave would be easier. Some are stuck in poverty and pray that the curtain of hope would miraculously be raised over their despondence. Others look at their relationships and buy every self-improvement CD so as to inject some positivity. Then we quickly realize that life is itself a gamble. We are dealt a set of cards and the rest depends on how we play the game.

There are very few absolutes in a world that enchants itself with abstracts. Paintings that cause the mind to conjure up personal reflections on what the artist might have meant are passed off as artistic brilliance because of the ability to have so many interpretations. But life is not a painting that can be gambled in some cosmic illusion. Pain is real and grief is pervasive. There are absolutes in this world that provide the backbone for the weary, an aide to the despondent and a dream to the visionary. I do tire physically and mentally like most of humanity and every itinerary produces its own dramatic effect. However knowing in my heart that all the doing has been done, allows me to trudge through life while playing the game. I guess in business-speak when the heart is sure- it moves from being a gamble to a calculated risk. As the singer crooned, you have to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em and know when to walk away. I trust the rules and the game. Do you?

Role Models

2011-02-21T07:35:00.001-06:00

An apparent consistency in the business and personal arsenal of present day successes is the need for role models and mentors. Almost every way you look the art of self-improvement and corporate advancement is tied closely to the need to have influencers who can guide the journey. Seeking help from others and creating opportunities for constructive criticism is a proven plan for reaching important milestones. The question then that beseeches us all is not whether we need role models but whether the role models we choose are consistent in their dispensation of ideas. But sometimes the desires of our heart clouds the logic required to select the right role models and we end up settling for the wrong conduits of information. In a post 9-11 world, the skeptical nature of humanity has created some interesting dilemmas for those seeking advice, guidance and boundaries.

On a recent television program a purveyor of morality and a champion of countless causes got exposed by giving a platform to someone who by all subsequent revelations turned out to be a fraud. But since the good over a period of time far outweighed this one snafu the world moved on. My business and spiritual mentor Zig Ziglar who is the most consistent man I know says that a father who tells his son not to speed but uses a fuzz-buster is actually telling his child that breaking the law is a crime but not getting caught is genius. When you choose role-models look for consistency in all they do. The following is a litmus test for role-models:

1. Are they doing themselves what they advocate you to do?
2. Do you appreciate them, admire them, respect them or just want to have their life? This is important in that one is trying to emulate their characteristics while the other is trying to vicariously earn the same level of fame that they have.
3. Do these role-models display consistency in their own personal lives when the lights are not on and the camera is not rolling.
4. Do you have the same role-model for all facets of your own life? Only the Living God can be the best at everything you need. All other mortals will fall short in one or more areas.

Seek consistency in your role-models and better yet seek wisely at which model you need for each facet of your own success.

www.krishdhanam.com
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Flower Mound, TX

SUPER TRASH

2011-02-14T06:55:00.002-06:00

With the recent weather problems in Dallas and the resulting snow and ice the city came to a virtual halt. School closings and driving problems were some of the concerns as was safety and flight cancellations. In addition was this pesky annual event which caused everything to become a super headache. The fans were super mad and the reporters were super analytical. The business people were super annoyed at the super slow sales in what was predicted to be a super good economy. I was super glad to not be traveling and got a chance to make some super observations.

We don't care how bad the driving conditions are for us, but would like Chinese food to be dlievered along with pizza because it makes us feel better in our confinement. We watch the TV and hope that all the beautiful icicles and snow covered roofs would be within our view so we can enjoy the beauty but not on our roof because we might have problems. We want the government to police the utilities so that our neigborhood is never affected by the rolling blackout. We want the trash to be picked up because nothing is more unpleasant than all our garbage being frozen over a period of time for everyone to see.

Then comes the thawing and the melting and the openings and the return to normalcy. We are back to arguing about global warming and national cooling. It was at this point that I decided to look at my own garbage that had piled up in my mind and heart and remained frozen for my inner self to see. Why don't I just throw it away? It has not worked for me for a decade and yet I cling to it in desperation? Why can't I have a super trash pick up from my own doubts and fears and let go? The conclusion is that anytime my public life comes to a standstill because of things I cannot control, I will look at my private life and slowly eliminate all the trash that has piled up there. This periodic cleaning will be like the neighborhood aglow with newness and cleanliness. Like always this is my super cool opinion.

Birmingham, Alabama

2011-02-10T07:13:00.001-06:00

Recently I had the privelege of speaking to about 15,000 people in Birmingham, Alabama. This was not my maiden voyage there and as such the expectations of similarity governed most of the trip. The day started out with a chill in the air and dampness on the ground. Traffic was congested as people made every effort to get in on time to hear a line up of the who's who in American politics, sports and industry. Hidden in the agenda was the little kid from India who after twenty years in public speaking still gets nervous and anxious. After the introductions and the formalities that seem to dictate all speeches the change in the air began. I started to feel a connection with the audience that maybe I had overlooked in times past. They seemed to generate a warmth that egged me on. I started to motor into areas that might be controversial in some places but it was different here. They wanted me to speak my mind and share from my heart.

Is it any wonder that in this place generous giants of industry carved their legacy and civil rights icons began their marches. Itineration is not new to me and travel is something that happens automatically for us. However this trip and the resulting buzz in the Twitter and Facebook world convinced me that just when you think you have figured something out there is a neat reminder of the grandeur of it all. This week begin what you do with familiarity as that shows your experience. Then work diligently with pride as that shows your concern. Lastly anticipate the unknown with surprise as that will reveal wonder.

FAIRNESS

2011-02-04T06:21:00.001-06:00

Everywhere we go in this world the rally cry is for equality. In created order the God of the universe chose people to be different and whether you subscribe to a worldview of random chance and mutation or one that involves creation the obvious question is still the same. Were we designed to favor equality or fairness? In all of the arenas of public discourse where I have posed this question the overwhelming response has been for fairness. Yet every law and social movement is predicated on the desire to level the playing field and promote equality.

In my own pursuits I think it was only fair that I got a chance to be a telemarketer with the famed Zig Ziglar. Fairness seemed to create an opportunity for me to compete for the position that included traveling with him as an assistant. I could never be equal to anyone else in his inner circle but could hope that he was fair in all the chances he gave me. I think it was fairness that allowed me a chance to speak on the national stage almost nine years ago. Today I am not considered an equal to the other giants in the communication realm but am glad that the audiences give me a fair hearing.

I would love to go back to my roots and provide equality to a billion of the souls who inhabit my motherland but let's be fair that is an impossibility. The best thing for me to do would be to create an opportunity where two people with equal access get the same information. In all fairness this is just my opinion and letting me have an opinion is equality at it's best.

Location:Flower Mound, TX

Friendship

2011-01-17T08:54:00.001-06:00

Last year was a difficult year in that most of our family and friends experienced the highs of glory and the lows of grief. Tragedy struck with the going home of loved ones who left before all the goodbyes could be completed. Illness plagued them for the last years of their lives but with that tumult came the new bonds of healing through new friendships. My prayer for your friendships for this year are threefold.

1. Cherish the good memories and use the edit button in the camcorder of life to be able to erase the bad memories through the lens of forgiveness.

2. Form a union in heart and mind with those that you love that would stand the test of discomfort.

3. Reach out more often than you would normally do so that when the call of finality does come the mind is not searching for the chapter marked regret.

Remember that grief and glory are parallels in the race we called living. This makes them siblings under the umbrella of Father God. Make friends with the grief and you will understand glory.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Flower Mound, TX

Forgiveness

2011-01-16T08:25:00.001-06:00

Into every heart and every mind comes the random need to forgive. Into every friendship and every relationship appears the need to be forgiven. While man is capable of finding the love to forgive, we fail at allowing ourselves to be loved so that we can be forgiven. As another year unfolds let us make new resolutions to focus more on being loved than on loving. To this end we will be closer to the reception of an unfailing love- the kind the Psalmist alluded to.

This week I found myself seeking forgiveness from the most unlikely sources and in doing so enjoyed a conversation that relied more on my ability to listen than to speak. It is not uncommon that we rush to make noise rather than hunger for the stillness that comforts us. Today make a decision to seek out the relationships that have been strained by time and compromised by selfishness and without keeping score ask for forgiveness. You will find that in being forgiven you gain the greatest freedom of all- a life unburdened. If man does not forgive you because they are keeping score go on bent knee to the one who made forgiveness His career.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Flower Mound, TX