Question of the day

I have two related questions today.

1. Can an organization be designed in such a way that it brings the worst in its workers?
2. What will happen to this organization?
   

Life lesson #3 from the Three Cups of Tea

Having a strong belief that you are doing the right thing is important to maintain the focus on what is important. It also helps with perseverance.

Example: Mortenson sent 580 letters to try to get money to build a school in a remote village in Pakistan. "Six months had passed since Mortenson had sent the first of the 580 letters and finally he got his one and only response. Tom Brokaw, like Mortenson, was an alumnus of the University of South Dakota. ... Brokaw sent a check of one hundred dollars and a note wishing him luck. And one by one, letters arrived from foundations like hammer blows to his hopes, notifying Mortenson that all sixteen grant applications had been rejected."

Life lesson #2 from the Three Cups of Tea

Here is a lesson on life journey:

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."

Persian proverb as quoted in Chapter 1: Failure

Life lesson #1 from the Three Cups of Tea

The first life lesson that I learn from the book "Three Cups of Tea" is:
"Focusing on our our commonalities instead of differences enables us to be more compassionate towards others."

Greg Mortenson's motivation

Greg Mortenson, the author of Three Cups of Tea gave a very powerful answer to the question of "What motivates him to dedicate himself to educate children in Pakistan and Afghanistan?":

"The answer is simple: When I look into the eyes of the children in Pakistan and Afghanistan, I see the eyes of my own children full of wonder--and hope that we each do our part to leave them a legacy of peace instead of the perpetual cycle of violence, war, terrorism, racism, exploitation, and bigotry that we have yet to conquer."

Straightforward life

You are born. You live. You die.

Three Cups of Tea

"Here in Pakistan and Afghanistan, we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything -- even die."

A quote from Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief, Pakistan
"Three Cups of Tea" book

Lesson from Kung Fu Panda Movie

A quote from Master Oogway:

There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present."

Making it right -- Is it too late?

Michael A. Green was recently released after spending 27 years of his life serving the crime he did not commit.

Here is the full story published in the NewYork Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/13/us/13exonerate.html?ref=us.

His compensation of $2.2 million did not help him coping with several questions he has been facing:

• Why was he convicted 27 years ago?
• What should he do with the rest of his life?
• Here is the account of Mr. Green about his free life:
  

  "Mr. Green, in the meantime, said the experience of freedom had “been a trip.” Just stepping in a grocery store or shopping for clothing at a mall overwhelms his senses, he said.

  But the best years of his life are lost forever, he says. He wonders what happened to his girlfriend, whom he lost contact with after being sent to prison. He breaks down when talking about his mother’s death in 2006 and how he missed the funeral."

Mr. Green's story is sad evidence of a failure of justice system and our society to correct the wrongdoings to people's lives.