onlymotivators

  Less than a minute, Lesson-3083 Handling Ill Treatment By tolerating ill treatment, we are not improving our patience; we are giving people room to ill-treat us more. Certain people should be put in place from the outset, or else they will use us like tissue paper. M.L. Narendra Kumar Director Instivate Learning Solutions PVT LTD  

  The Freedom Paradox: When Rigidity Teaches You More Than Flexibility Sometimes, when employees talk about freedom, what they’re really expressing is a feeling of being trapped in a rigid workplace. They want the space to make decisions, work their own way, and breathe without constant oversight. And in many cases, they’re right — some organizations are overly strict, while others are genuinely flexible. But before we rush to judge rigid workplaces, it’s worth asking:  Why are they so strict? Often, the answer lies outside the organization’s control — compliance with laws, confidentiality clauses, customer demands, or even painful lessons from the past when too much freedom led to chaos. A single incident of misuse can leave scars that shape company policy for years. As an employee, you always have a choice: adapt to the existing culture, or seek a more flexible environment. But whichever path you choose, make it an informed one. Take time to weigh the pros and cons o...

  Less than a minute, Lesson-3082 Struggling is a form of evolving Those who think struggling is suffering are blind to the fact that struggling is evolving, and they focus on the pain and give up. Whereas those who think struggling is evolving focus on evolution and think about what they gain, and forget the pain. M.L. Narendra Kumar Director Instivate Learning Solutions PVT LTD  

  The Root of Unfairness: A Reflection We All Need Have you ever been fair to someone, only to be treated unfairly in return? It stings, doesn’t it? You find yourself wondering,  Why are they like this?  Over time, you might shake your head and conclude, “That’s just their nature.” Some of us choose to walk away from such people. Others, for various reasons, continue the relationship—even when it hurts. But let’s pause and ask ourselves a harder question:  Aren’t we sometimes unfair to others too? If you’re honest, you might say, “It depends on how I was treated.” And that’s the tricky part. Sometimes, we lose time, money, or respect because of someone else’s unfairness—despite our own best efforts to be fair. After experiencing enough of this, many of us unconsciously become unfair to others. And we justify it with a quiet, bitter thought:  The world is unfair, so why shouldn’t I be? Now, here’s a perspective shift: the very people who are unfair to us...

  Less than a minute, Lesson-3081 Time We can snooze the alarm and stop the watch, but not the time. The only resources that are equally given to all are those who use them wisely; others later long for them.  A second that is well used is better than waiting for a minute in the future M.L. Narendra Kumar Director Instivate Learning Solutions PVT LTD  

  The Walk Back to Life An old man sat hunched on a park bench, his hands resting limply on his knees. For months, his legs had forgotten what movement felt like. Then, slowly—painfully—he began to rise. A young boy beside him immediately started clapping. "That's it, Grandpa! You're doing it!" The old man wobbled but stood still for a moment, catching his breath. The boy clapped harder, beaming. When the old man took his first shaky step, the boy rushed forward and shook his hand proudly. "One step! You took one step!" After a few exhausting minutes, they both eased back onto the bench—exhausted but victorious. A middle-aged man sitting nearby had been watching the whole scene with curiosity. He walked over and asked gently, "Son, what's going on? Why are you encouraging him like that?" The boy looked up, his eyes sincere. "He's my grandfather. He hasn't been able to walk for months. The doctors said he  can  walk sl...

  Less than a minute, Lesson-3080 Every hit counts It is not the last hit of the hammer that breaks the rock; it is every hit — from the first to the last — that breaks the rock. So never stop hammering until the rock breaks. The same theory applies to life as well: keep trying. The end should be the result, not a decision to give up. M.L. Narendra Kumar Director Instivate Learning Solutions PVT LTD    

  The Belief System That Makes or Breaks You There is a saying: We are made by our belief systems. Those who are optimistic, have healthy self-esteem, and can protect their self-respect develop a belief system that strengthens them. It helps them see the world through the eyes of possibilities and solutions, rather than as a painful, hopeless place. But let us dwell a little deeper on this. The Cage We Build Ourselves Sometimes, the way we see ourselves is shaped by how much we have underestimated ourselves in the past. Slowly, quietly, that belief system becomes a cage. It stops us from facing challenges. It makes us avoid difficult situations. Not because we are weak — but because we have  believed  ourselves to be. The Wiser Path Neither overestimate nor underestimate yourself. Instead, strive for a fair, honest, and unbiased understanding of who you truly are. And here is the key:  do not do it alone. Talk to someone close to you. Let them...

  The Myth of the Apple-to-Apple Comparison Two apples from the same tree do not taste the same. The roots are identical. The branches are the same. But the taste differs. Now, imagine someone likes the first apple but dislikes the second. Is that the apple’s fault? No. Is it the person’s fault? Also no. We simply struggle to accept that taste can differ — even when everything else seems the same. But here’s the truth: another person might love both apples, precisely because of their uniqueness. In the end, it is always the user who decides what is tasty. Not the tree. Not tradition. The Irony We Ignore We’ve all heard the phrase “apple-to-apple comparison.” It’s supposed to mean a fair, like-for-like comparison. But here’s the irony — apples themselves vary in colour, shape, size, and taste. So comparing two apples is  never  truly equal. Yet in business, we compare two salespeople working in the same market and call it “apples to apples.” If they wo...

  A Dinner That Changed Everything Cyril and his friend Anil had planned their dinner a week in advance. When Cyril arrived at the restaurant, he pulled out his phone to call Anil—but before he could dial, Anil waved from across the room. They smiled, walked toward a cosy corner table, and settled in. Anil is a traveller based in Mumbai, always on the move. Cyril lives in Chennai and works as a manager at a fintech company. Despite the distance, their friendship has stayed strong. Cyril leaned in. “So, how’s work?” Anil sighed—but with a grin. “Challenging. Customers want more every single day. What about you?” “Bad day,” Cyril said, his voice flat. Before he could explain, a waiter appeared. They quickly ordered a Tomato Soup and paneer tikka for Anil, a classic Chettinad chicken for Cyril rotis and Long glass Falooda. Cyril continued “I had a task I couldn’t finish. Multiple reasons. Then came the fortnightly review. My manager wasn’t happy. Honestly, life’s getting...

  The Ceasefire Is Here—But at What Cost? The ceasefire has begun. Markets are soaring. And now, investors everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief, ready to jump back in. But pause for a moment. Have investors become nothing more than puppets—dangling on the strings of warmongers, weapons brokers, and so-called elites? Look in the mirror. What do you see? If you're an investor celebrating this moment, you might see a vulture. Vultures don't build. They don't heal. They circle the sky while the battle rages below. And the moment the fighting stops? They swoop down to feast on the dead. Today, those vultures are investors. And the dead? They aren't just numbers on a news ticker. They are bodies—mothers, fathers, children—who lost their lives in a war fueled by interests far darker than any portfolio. When war is active, vultures stay airborne, waiting. When war is paused, they descend to prey. Tell me—is there any real difference between those birds and the ...

  Who is Courageous? Courageous are the people who can question the system, which is corrupt, not the one who silences them. Courageous are those people who can come to the arena for a debate, not those who come with guns Courageous are those people who can stand with the truth, not beside a missile Courageous are those people who can write the facts, not those who can load the bombs Courageous are those who can cry for the dead, not those who threaten the living by aerial shelling Courageous are those who can come to the centre to raise their voice, not cover with bulletproof jackets and bulletproof cars Courageous are those who can gather people to fight for  a cause, without physically hurting others, not those who deploy a force to shoot tear gas or rubber bullets on the masses Courageous are those who are willing to stand tall while being shot, not bend and lick the boots to save their lives Courageous are those who are centred towards human beings, not ...

Truth- Let it live  Some bury the truth to save their skin; others shed their own skin to save the truth. In a world more obsessed with emotions than facts, those willing to shed their skin are dwindling. If we don’t stand beside them, we may never realise when we are being manipulated and exploited—for the selfish gains of power-hungry politicians, profit-driven capitalists, and radical religious peddlers. Remember: when truth is buried today, tomorrow innocents will fall in genocides, and the world will become a graveyard. And in that graveyard, selfish rascals will build castles for themselves—where they indulge in unnatural pleasures, drain the blood of the remaining population to extend their own lifespans, and call it progress. So before believing anything, question it. Because if you don’t—one day, when you cry out in pain, there may be no one left to listen. M.L. Narendra Kumar

  Less than a minute, Lesson-3079 Hammered and Rubbed Without the intervention of a hammer, gold cannot become jewellery. Without the intervention of pressure and pain, human beings cannot become wise. Get hammered to understand your potential; get rubbed to shine like a star." M.L. Narendra Kumar Director Instivate Learning Solutions PVT LTD        

  From Gold Bar to Glowing Jewel: A Lesson for Life Turning a raw gold bar into a stunning piece of jewellery is no simple task. It goes through a series of intense processes—chemical treatments, heating, carving, and the infusion of metals like copper for strength. Each stage transforms the gold a little more until it finally reaches the customer as a beautiful ornament for the fingers, ears, nose, or neck. Now, let’s compare this journey to human development. Every human being is like a gold bar—valuable from the very start. But just as gold becomes jewellery, gaining even more value through its beauty and usefulness, we too grow in value as our skills and knowledge develop. Why is copper added to gold? To make it stronger. Similarly, life adds certain situations that may feel like a reduction in our value—struggles, failures, or pressure. But in truth, these moments transform us into better, more resilient individuals, just as copper helps create finer jewellery. Gold ...

  Why the Customer Asked So Many Questions – A Sales Lesson from a Farm A Business Development Manager (BDM) was updating his senior manager about a recent prospect meeting. “The prospect kept asking too many questions,” the BDM said. “I managed to answer most of them, but why do you think he was asking so much?” The senior manager smiled and replied, “Let’s go to the farm nearby. We’ll discuss it there.” The BDM was confused.  What does a farm have to do with sales?  Still, they both went. At the farm, the senior manager walked up to a tree and started shaking it vigorously. The BDM watched for a moment, then said, “Sir, there are no fruits on this tree. Why are you shaking it?” Without answering, the senior manager moved to another tree nearby and began shaking it. This time, several ripe fruits fell to the ground. “Come,” the senior manager said. “Let’s pick them up.” Now thoroughly puzzled, the BDM asked, “You still haven’t answered my question about th...

  Less than a minute, Lesson-3078 Debate with Debaters "No amount of facts will be understood by a person who is biased. It is better to avoid debating with such people who are not willing to accept the facts and are trying to prove you wrong with their ill-conceived ideology, which has been thrust upon them. Choose the right person to debate with—someone who respects facts." M.L. Narendra Kumar Director Instivate Learning Solutions PVT LTD      

  Less than a minute, Lesson-3077 Align When we align with our purpose, we align with ourselves. Such alignment helps us define what we need and what we should do to fulfill those needs. It is a life wholly lived based on our own choices, rather than running in a rat race." M.L. Narendra Kumar Director Instivate Learning Solutions PVT LTD