90/10 Principle

I got a forwarded mail from my friend long time back which i didnt care to read till now. But today when i read it i realised that the fact it dealt was true.. I hope you may also enjoy and learn something from it and so i am posting it here...

Discover the 90/10 Principle.
By Stephen Covey, Management Guru

Have you read this before: Discover the 90/10 Principle. It will change the way you manage your life.

What is the 90/10 Principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.

How? By your reaction. You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let's use an example. You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and paying fine, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying good-bye.
After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terribly. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home, When you arrive home, you find a small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.

Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?

A) Did the coffee cause it?

B) Did your daughter cause it?

C) Did the policeman cause it?

D) Did you cause it?

The answer is D.
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day. Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "It's ok honey, you just need, to be more careful next time." Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs.
After wearing a new shirt and with your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference? Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended differently. Why? Because of how you REACTED .. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle. If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge(don't absorb). Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you! React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.

How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? (A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off!) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them? WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive? Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.

You are told you lost your job . Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job. The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on. Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger. Why get stressed out? It will just make things worse.

Now you know the 90/10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it. The 90/10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle. The result? Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. There never seem to be a success in life. Bad days follow bad days. Terrible things seem to be constantly happening. There is constant stress, lack of joy, and broken relationships.
Worry consumes time.

Anger breaks friendships and life seems dreary and is not enjoyed to the fullest. Friends are lost. Life is a bore and often seems cruel. Does this describe you? If so, do not be discouraged.

You can be different! Understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
It will change your life!!

AR Rahman...

Yesterday while browsing through the communities in ORKUT, I came across a comment about the Mozart of Madras – AR RAHMAN. The comment was a new music director who has hardly 10 to 15 movies under his belt has overcome the achievements made by AR Rahman( What a crap??? ). I was really shocked when I read this line. I know even people who are reading this blog too would be shocked. The funnier part is that the music director only composes music for Tamil movies and not for any other language.

Let me give you a small information about AR Rahman’s career…

Allah Rakha Rahman (born on January 6, 1966 as A.S. Dileep Kumar in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India) is a hugely popular Indian film composer. He made his debut in 1992 with Mani Ratnam's Tamil movie, Roja (Rose), which was subsequently dubbed into many languages. Yodha marked his debut in Malayalam, also in 1992 and Ram Gopal Verma's Rangeela (Colorful) (1995) was the first Hindi movie to have Rahman as the music director. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri, which is one of India's highest civilian national honors.

From Time.com :

In 2002, enlightenment struck again. I saw — heard, rather — the West End show Bombay Dreams. Like Chess, it had music by a composer who had written (and sometimes performed) dozens of pop hits. Indeed, A.R. Rahman is not just India’s most prominent movie songwriter — in a land of a billion people where movie music truly is popular music — but, by some computations, the best-selling recording artist in history. His scores have sold more albums than Elvis or the Beatles or all the Jacksons: perhaps 150 million, maybe more.

Rahman received more international attention with this article in the TIME magazine. Rahman's first movie album Roja was listed in TIME magazine's TOP 10 Movie Soundtracks of all time; source. According to BBC Rahman is reported to have sold 100 million records world-wide.

In 2000, Rahman's annual income was estimated to be around $4 million (Rs.180 million) from worldwide endorsements and royalties dating back to Roja (1992). According to Rediff.com, rights for his Tamil album Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) were sold for an astonishing record sum of Rs.22 million. This record, for Tamil cinema, still remains unbeaten six years hence.

In addition to influencing western audiences, Rahman also impressed eastern audiences with his music so much that he was tapped by Chinese director He Ping to provide music for the Chinese film Warriors of Heaven and Earth in 2003 IMDB. The music of this film was very much appreciated in Asia and in India.

On May 23rd 2006, a two-disc album soundtrack, titled Introducing A.R. Rahman, was released by Times Square Records, featuring 25 songs he composed from Tamil film soundtracks spanning 1993-2001. The compillation soundtrack was very well received upon release.

On July 16th, 2006, Rahman performed to a sell-out crowd at the 26000+ capacity natural amphitheatre, Hollywood Bowl along with noted Indian artists such as Sukhwinder Singh, Hariharan, and Sadhana Sargam, as well as American performing groups Raagapella and Global Rhythms. This was the first time that a world music performance at the Hollywood Bowl was sold-out completely.

The soundtrack of Spike Lee's Inside Man (2006), features the song Chaiyya Chaiyya from the Hindi film Dil Se, directed by Mani Ratnam.

The soundtrack of Nicolas Cage's Lord Of War (2005), features the instrumental piece "Bombay Theme" from the Tamil film Bombay, directed by Mani Ratnam.


A.R. Rahman has won the following awards:

National Film Awards (India)
1993 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Roja
1997 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Minsaara Kanavu
2002 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Lagaan
2003 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Kannathil Muthamittal

Filmfare Awards (India)
1995 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Rangeela
1998 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Dil Se
1999 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Taal
2001 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Lagaan
2002 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Saathiya
2002 - Filmfare Best Background Score - The Legend of Bhagat Singh
2004 - Filmfare Best Background Score - Swades

Zee Cine Awards (India)
2000 - Zee Cine Award Best Music Director - Taal
2002 - Zee Cine Award Best Music Director - Lagaan
9 South Indian Filmfare Awards
6 Times Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

A.R. Rahman has been nominated for the following awards:

Laurence Olivier Awards (UK)
2003 - Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Musical - Bombay Dreams

Dora Mavor Moore Awards (Canada)
2006 - General Theatre Division - Outstanding Musical Direction - The Lord of the Rings musical

Artists claimed to have sold 100 million records or more :
.
AC/DC Australia 70s-00s Hard Rock
Aerosmith U.S. 70s-00s Hard Rock
A. R. Rahman India 90s-00s Classic (Soundtracks)
Barbra Streisand U.S. 60s-00s Vocal/Pop
Barry White U.S. 70s-00s Pop/R&B
The Beach Boys U.S. 60s-90s Pop/Surf Rock
The Bee Gees Isle of Man/Australia 60s-00s Pop/Disco
Billy Joel U.S. 70s-00s Piano Rock
Bon Jovi U.S. 80s-00s Rock
Brenda Lee U.S. 50s-60s Pop/Country
The Carpenters U.S. 60s-80s Pop
Céline Dion Canada 80s-00s Pop
Charles Aznavour France 50s-00s Pop
Cher U.S. 60s-00s Pop/Rock/Disco/Dance
Chicago U.S. 60s-00s Pop
Creedence Clearwater Revival U.S. 60s-70s Pop/Rock
David Bowie UK 60s-00s Rock/Pop
Deep Purple UK 60s-00s Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
Dionne Warwick U.S. 60s-00s Pop/R&B
Dolly Parton U.S. 60s-00s Country/Pop
Donna Summer U.S. 70s-00s Disco/Pop
Duane Eddy U.S. 50s-80s Rock
Eagles U.S. 70s-00s Rock
Engelbert Humperdinck UK 60s-00s Pop
Fats Domino U.S. 40s-00s Rock/R&B
Fleetwood Mac UK/U.S. 60s-00s Rock
Frankie Laine U.S. 40s-00s Jazz/Pop/Gospel/Country
Garth Brooks U.S. 80s-00s Country
Gene Autry U.S. 20s-90s Country
Genesis UK 70s-00s Progressive Rock / Pop Rock
The Jacksons U.S. 60s-80s Pop/R&B/Disco/Rock/Soul
John Denver U.S. 60s-00s Folk/Rock
Johnny Hallyday France 50s-00s Pop
Johnny Mathis U.S. 50s-00s Pop (Traditional)
Joni James U.S. 50s-60s Pop (Traditional)
Kenny Rogers U.S. 50s-00s Country
Lionel Richie U.S. 80s-00s R&B
Luciano Pavarotti Italy 60s-00s Opera
Mariah Carey U.S. 90s-00s Pop/R&B
Mireille Mathieu France 60s-00s Pop
Modern Talking Germany 80s-00s Pop/Dance
Neil Diamond U.S. 60s-80s Pop
Patti Page U.S. 40s-00s Pop/Country
Perry Como U.S. 30s-00s Pop
Phil Collins UK 80s-00s Soft Rock
Pink Floyd UK 60s-00s Psychedelic Rock/Progressive Rock
Prince U.S 70s-00s Pop/R&B/Funk/Soul/Rock
Ricky Nelson U.S. 50s-80s Pop/Country
Rod Stewart UK 60s-00s Pop/Rock
The Rolling Stones UK 60s-00s Rock
The Royal Canadians Canada 30s-50s Pop (Big Band)
Stevie Wonder U.S. 60s-00s Pop/R&B
Status Quo UK 60s-00s Hard Rock/Blues
Tommy James U.S. 60s-00s Rock
U2 Ireland 70s-00s Rock
Vicky Leandros Greece 60s-00s Pop
Wei Wei China 80s-00s Pop
Whitney Houston U.S. 80s-00s Pop/R&B/Gospel/Soul
The Who UK 60s-00s Hard Rock


Now I don’t think I need to give anything more than this to prove AR RAHMAN is a living legend not only India but even across the boundary.

Blah Blah Blah...

I am again struck with what to write in this blog. The reason that I am not able to choose on a topic is that there are so many interesting things happening around me and I am not choose one out of that lot. Ufff… really struggling. Anyway I will tell you what I did all day. Its 12.17 AM right now, it was a busy morning for me. I got up at 9.20 for my 9.30 class, had a quick shower and ran all the way to my class. Luckily my professor was bit late and I was able to make it. (He is very particular about being in class on time, that’s why I was in hurry)

The class was really great. He is such a nice professor and the way he teaches the subject is really amazing. The main important thing about the American professors is that they give you a lot of freedom in the class (hey did I tell you people that I am from India, sorry I forgot that one). The education system over here is far different from Indian system. In India its mostly a the teacher who dictates things to the student and the student follows it but here its interaction from both sides. The respect the teacher gives to the student is unbelievable. The student can come in and walk out whenever he wants, he can sit in whatever position and style he wants, he can drink, eat and sleep in class.

All these things should only be a surprise to guy like me because in my college the rules are completely different from what I am witnessing over here. But still I didn’t find problem copping up with this system as I was mentally prepared for all these things. The next most important thing is that the final minutes studies which I used to do in India will never work out because the final examination accounts for only 25-30% of my final credit.( Believe me, I was shocked when I heard this!!!) The rest depends on the monthly exams, quizzes and homework. (Who will give marks for homework in India??? What crap is this!!!)

But this is how the educational system functions. Also I am supposed to two projects right in my first semester itself (Ohh god!!! Please help me out). The toughest thing is that my professor said that the project should be original and not extracted from someone else (Have I ever done anything on my own??? Just kidding…) To tell you the truth, I am really excited in doing all these things and I am looking forward to do my best.

Ohh no, once again I have started to write about something and I ended up writing something. I know I am really bad at writing blog, but wishing that I would improve next time. (This was my thinking right from the first blog which I wrote… He He He)