Spending Attitude
This incidence happened some 4-5 yrs ago, when I was doing my first years of Masters. This was the time when cell phones were about to enter into our everyday life. We had 40 students in the class and out of which only 2 students had cell phones and out of 4 professors only 1 had the cell phone. Cell phones were considered as a symbol of pride at that time and people loved to show their cell phones.
One of my friends, Soni use to get very irritated with others’ cell phones and the ring tones as the phone owners had the habit of listening to the ring tones continuously one after another. She would always say, “They only want to show off their cell phones, what urgent and important work they have to do, for which they need the cell phone.” I also agreed to her to a point that cell phone should not be allowed in the classroom or at least it needs to be switched off or put on silent mode, as it disturb others.
I have a habit of reading books and I like to have the real good books in my library. One day I had brought two books, ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen Covey and ‘You can Win’ by Shiv Khera, the cost of the two books was around Rs. 500 to 600. I talked about the books with Soni, how wonderful the books are and it would help me grow as a person and as a counselor, to which she very excitedly said, “Oh, I have heard about these books and they are really wonderful books to have, but are very costly, I cannot buy it. If you don’t mind can I have the books to read, I will return as soon as I finish reading the books.” I gave her the books to read.
After three weeks or so she returned the books saying, “Wow! Wonderful books. I have a request can you give them to me again when I need them for reference?” and I agreed to lend the books to her when she requires. She added further, “you know what I have brought something and I want to show you that.” She took out something from her bag and I was shocked to see that it was a cell phone worth Rs. 6000 to 7000. I thought some three weeks back she said that she couldn’t afford the books worth Rs. 500-600, which she may require for her reference, but now she can afford a cell phone worth Rs. 6000-7000 and earlier she never liked the idea of having a cell phone in college. I very curiously asked her, “You found 6000-7000 Rs. cell phone essential to have than the books worth Rs. 500-600 which you plan to borrow from me.” To which she gave a very strange answer, she said, “I wanted to show these two that even I could afford a cell phone.”
I had no reply for that answer. I thought that’s her view. But I never thought that her views would turn out expensive for me where I had to lend her my books when she wanted to use them for reference and for her cell phone, well I always had to call her back after her missed calls.
Now after 5 years I am still using those books for my reference and she had changed 4 cell phone models to show others she can afford to have a new cell phone with more functions in it.
It’s not just about Soni and her cell phone but if you look around you will find many such people who are continuously wasting their money buying things to impress others or to show others what they can afford, and they never get satisfied with what they have.
“The average American is busy buying things he doesn’t want with the money he doesn’t have to impress people he doesn’t like.” O.Donald Olson
It’s not just about the money but I believe it reflects the attitude too. Your spending behavior can be a window to your attitude. Just check!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Keep Your Goal In Sight
Keep Your Goal In Sight
Its’ a story I read a few months back and liked it very much and therefore would like to share with you all.
Ahmed was seated in the lounge at the airport in Mumbai, waiting to take the midnight flight to London. He had reached the airport hours before schedule and was already tired of sitting idly. Oh, how many times he had mentally rehearsed his speech for the all important meeting in London. Tired of idling around he decided to take a stroll – after all he had checked in his baggage and was still almost an hour left before he would be let inside the gate.
Ahmed went out for a stroll. After the crowd and the noise inside the airport, the cool air outside and the quiet of the night were a welcome change for Ahmed. He decided to venture a little further, after checking his watch. Going further down, he noticed a lone machine on the sidewalk. He was drawn by curiosity to the machine. It turned to be a simple weighing machine. Acting on a childish impulse, Ahmed took out a coin and inserted it in the slot. A card popped out and Ahmed was stunned to read it. It said: “Good evening, Mr.Ahmed you weigh sixty kilos. Hope you enjoy your midnight flight to London.” By God, how could a simple machine know his name, and his plans! Amazing!
Ahmed was tempted to try checking again, to see if it was all really happening. He went through the procedure of positioning himself correctly and inserting the coin in the slot. The card that came out then read, “Good evening, Mr. Ahmed, you still weigh sixty kilos. Hope you enjoy your midnight flight to London.”
Now Ahmed was truly taken aback. He still couldn’t figure out, how a simple machine could tell so much about him. He had to know. It was getting more and more curious. He stood wondering on the various theories and possibilities that could have gone into making the special machine. He mentally worked out many combinations. Nothing seemed convincing.
After a while, he decided to test the machine again. This time he carefully removed his heavy shoes and jacket and placed them at a distance from the machine. He then stood on the machine and inserted one of his last coins. The card that came out then read,” Good evening, with or without shoes and jacket, you are still Mr.Ahmed and you still weigh sixty kilos. You just missed your midnight flight to London.”
How many Ahmed are there among us? Most of us. Distracted by happenings, real or imagined, we lose sight of our major and immediate goals in life. Distracted and led on a fantasy trip, Ahmed let go of his immediate goal-that of catching the flight out to London. There are ways out, no doubt. However, imagine the waste of time money, effort, anxiety for both Ahmed and his family members who would be waiting for him, and a chain of other related upsets and disturbances. A meeting missed, having to answer people….
Most of the times we get into the things which are less important to us at that moment and waste our energy and time in doing things which give us nothing in return but frustration, stress and tensions.
As author Robert J. McKain says, “The reason most goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.”
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” – William James
Its’ a story I read a few months back and liked it very much and therefore would like to share with you all.
Ahmed was seated in the lounge at the airport in Mumbai, waiting to take the midnight flight to London. He had reached the airport hours before schedule and was already tired of sitting idly. Oh, how many times he had mentally rehearsed his speech for the all important meeting in London. Tired of idling around he decided to take a stroll – after all he had checked in his baggage and was still almost an hour left before he would be let inside the gate.
Ahmed went out for a stroll. After the crowd and the noise inside the airport, the cool air outside and the quiet of the night were a welcome change for Ahmed. He decided to venture a little further, after checking his watch. Going further down, he noticed a lone machine on the sidewalk. He was drawn by curiosity to the machine. It turned to be a simple weighing machine. Acting on a childish impulse, Ahmed took out a coin and inserted it in the slot. A card popped out and Ahmed was stunned to read it. It said: “Good evening, Mr.Ahmed you weigh sixty kilos. Hope you enjoy your midnight flight to London.” By God, how could a simple machine know his name, and his plans! Amazing!
Ahmed was tempted to try checking again, to see if it was all really happening. He went through the procedure of positioning himself correctly and inserting the coin in the slot. The card that came out then read, “Good evening, Mr. Ahmed, you still weigh sixty kilos. Hope you enjoy your midnight flight to London.”
Now Ahmed was truly taken aback. He still couldn’t figure out, how a simple machine could tell so much about him. He had to know. It was getting more and more curious. He stood wondering on the various theories and possibilities that could have gone into making the special machine. He mentally worked out many combinations. Nothing seemed convincing.
After a while, he decided to test the machine again. This time he carefully removed his heavy shoes and jacket and placed them at a distance from the machine. He then stood on the machine and inserted one of his last coins. The card that came out then read,” Good evening, with or without shoes and jacket, you are still Mr.Ahmed and you still weigh sixty kilos. You just missed your midnight flight to London.”
How many Ahmed are there among us? Most of us. Distracted by happenings, real or imagined, we lose sight of our major and immediate goals in life. Distracted and led on a fantasy trip, Ahmed let go of his immediate goal-that of catching the flight out to London. There are ways out, no doubt. However, imagine the waste of time money, effort, anxiety for both Ahmed and his family members who would be waiting for him, and a chain of other related upsets and disturbances. A meeting missed, having to answer people….
Most of the times we get into the things which are less important to us at that moment and waste our energy and time in doing things which give us nothing in return but frustration, stress and tensions.
As author Robert J. McKain says, “The reason most goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.”
“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” – William James
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