Countdown to Countdown - Day 18

Just 18 days to go....Yay!!... it really feels nice to be closer to the target isn't it? What have we gained so far? Everyday unfolds something new, brings in new hopes. Today I want to talk about Magic! we all experience it sometime or the other.

Ronald Dahl, writer says , " Those who don't believe in magic can never find it".

Yes dreams carry magic in them and its for the individual to discover and own that. That ownership has to be planned and prepared for. And that preparation has to be so good that you gain the confidence in realising your dream. Do the best you know, until you know better, then you do the better..... finally the very Best will also come to you. Determination is the word for today! Be determined to succeed.

I am learning the meaning of determination from Dayala. Hats off to him, didn't really know the running around would be so much. I wanted to have a little chat with him, read it as exchanging 2 messages each day. Since we are on a project that's the minimum expected. But yesterday I just couldn't get him. He has been on his toes. But I guess this is how a success story is written. I am so glad that am getting to observe a real Hero prepare for his dream project, the ride around the world. It is this, the very reason why I associate myself with the project.
Thanks for your feedback bikers from all over the country, my idea was more to connect with the social media users the women and college students as well as teenagers. The little dose of so called 'gyan' was for them. I am glad that the tough, macho bikers find it interesting too. Yes there's that little child in all of us. For that child the world is magical, so we must keep that child happy within us. Thanks for all your support, there's such a beautiful camaraderie among the bikers!  I am the odd person out but  am made to feel so welcome. Trust me I actually feel like the queen.
Infact some of the readers have started sharing their own dreams with me. Believe me I don't really know what to advise anyone. But what I strongly believe in is there's no one between you and your dream, be after it and get it! How will follow....

The inspirational story for today is...

MacDonald  was started by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in California in 1940, from one unit today there are 100s of them in every country, one outlet that opened in 1940 now has 33000 outlets in 118 countries.The symbol is the most recognized in the world and their advertising campaign one of the best. I know the number of times I have bought the Happy meal (kids insisted on it), not for the meal but for the toy! This again is a dream story and an inspiring one, no matter what the competition is McD is the leader and better than the best. I am not supporting junk food culture but its a successful business model and that's what I am highlighting. The partners realized that hamburger was their strength and concentrated only on that and the result is for everyone to see. The result is that of great vision, focus and determination. Use of ones strength well.

So discover that strength within you and use it to your advantage. If you don't see any, then develop one and hone it well. Everyone should have one such USP, the quality that no one else possesses. Dayala gets the support and encouragement from everyone for that USP!

Would love to hear your dream stories. A lot of us believe in the magic of that secret. 

Tell us your stories too and will share them with others, you never know when someone gets inspired and your story changes a life.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala, the first Indian to go around the world on a motorcycle, will show us how to live our own dreams by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa in just 100 days from 1st March 2014, starting with nothing.  He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.

https://www.facebook.com/BJsDreamLive
@letsdreamlive

Countdown to Countdown - Day 19

Beginning of  another brand  new week. I love Mondays... have never experienced the Blues yet! A lot of you may be like me but I also know quite a few people who dread the Mondays. Anyway being on the positive what you have to do, why not do it with a smile! On this note lets be READY for yet another week of possibilities and positive affirmations. Today, I am also happy that the weekend chores are attended to, Capt. Todiwan safely crossed the pirate infested Gulf Of Aden, kids are off to school and me to work.

Dream Live has been on in the social media for about 10 days now. We are 428 followers strong! If you are reading this would love to see you all on our facebook page. Bloggers are voting for my posts, special thanks to them for their kind support. That encourages me to continue scribbling, I know that I am not a great writer and I don't aspire to be one to be honest. But I want to be effective enough so that people can connect with Dream Live, as its all about people and the synergy that they create.

With Delhi bikers

Past week has also been very good for Bharadwaj Dayala, Delhi bikers welcomed him and his dream with open arms and hearts. Could see the enthusiasm there, yes I am inducted into the group of Delhi bikers, an honour I shall always cherish, Thank you delhibikers Adventuretourgroup. Now I am wondering what is Dayala telling people about me? He was in Delhi for the Auto Expo, he for the first time stayed at a bikers's home and is extremely thankful for the warm hospitality extended to him.

From Delhi he headed straight to Hyderabad, and what a grand reception by the Wanderers there. I simply loved the adulation and so much of pomp and ceremony. What an entourage! the television channel covered the event. I was delighted to see all this sitting here in Mumbai. 

Guess what? Again Lalit Jain was gracious enough to make me a member of the Wanderers Bulleteers of Hyderabad. This is what brotherhood is all about. Thank you, is the least that I can say. Wanderers had a ride with the message of WAR: Wanderers Against Racism. Salute to that! Very apt for the times that we are living in, the world has to become a better place for us and for the generations to come.

Wanderers Ride in Hyderabad

Would love to hear your dream stories. A lot of us believe in the magic of that secret. 

Tell us your stories too and will share them with others, you never know when someone gets inspired and your story changes a life.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala, the first Indian to go around the world on a motorcycle, will show us how to live our own dreams by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa in just 100 days starting with nothing.  He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.

https://www.facebook.com/BJsDreamLive
@letsdreamlive

Countdown to Countdown - Day 20

Its Sunday! Trust everyone is having a great weekend. Today I was thinking let me take a break and not write a post, not much of research goes into the post that I write though.!My blog is called The Optimist Diary. Its always written as a diary, and since I am keeping an emotional account of the events leading to Dream Live, I have to express my thoughts even on a Sunday! My diary doesn't say what a tough day I have had, no maid so ended up cleaning a 2000 sq. ft area, washing machine felt like taking a day off so ended up with buckets full of clothes. Being a holiday, kids too want to have something nice! The diary has certainly found a Dream that I wish to explore and I am loving every bit of it. Its like doing something that makes me Happy!

I just had a chat with Bharadwaj Dayala,  the man is travelling and travelling big time. He is on a mission and I understand what he is doing. From 26th Of January where I met him in Mumbai. He had come down from Vizag. He went back to Vizag after finishing his work here, then headed to Delhi for the Auto expo. Now he is in Hyderabad already. Lots to be done before 1st of March and he doesn't leave anything to chance. As we were talking about super achievers yesterday. He is one for sure! 

I mentioned to him that all the running around that he is doing will certainly have its fruits and reward. To which he says once you achieve something no one sees what has gone into reaching there. I told him that's why I just felt like maintaining the diary. I am hopeful that when another person takes up something like this or for that matter when someone has a Goal to achieve, these can be some case studies. 

Success is sweeter when you have put in your best, have slogged to reach there, isn't it?

I am a hotelier, a professor and involved in learning and development. From my field I have read a couple of stories of the successful hotel chains. Anyone can say that the largest hotels around the world are Marriotts or Hiltons. If you look at their founders they had  very humble beginning. In fact John Willard Marriott studied till 8th standard and used to work as a newspaper boy. Today any country that you visit you'll find atleast one Marriott property if not more. So its just not your college degree thats going to make you realise your dream but the passion and systematic approach that you adapt for the project that you are aiming for. Closer home, Look at the Oberoi hotels, one of the best in the world. Raibahadur Mohun Singh Oberoi, worked as a clerk at the Shimla Hotel, went on to own that property and opened many more finest hotels around the world. He was given the title of Raibahadur by the government. Success certainly chooses those individuals who are prepared to receive her. That preparation is what everyone terms as giving ones sweat and blood.

Excellence is my minimum standard!

This is the mantra of all achievers. If you don't follow this, you'll never be there among the best! .You are worth what you think you deserve. Never stop believing in hope as miracles happen everyday. Infact Dayala, coined this statement to me, "Excellence is my minimum standard". He said that he is a very tough task master and people working with him think that he is unreasonable but that somehow brings out the best in them. I told him that I didn't have an inflated ego and that I can find the madness among the rest. Jokes apart, I am getting to know what dreams are made of and what goes into achieving them. 

Would love to hear your dream stories. A lot of us believe in the magic of that secret. 

Tell us your stories too and will share them with others, you never know when someone gets inspired and your story changes a life.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala, the first Indian to go around the world on a motorcycle, will show us how to live our own dreams by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa in just 100 days starting with nothing.  He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.

https://www.facebook.com/BJsDreamLive

@letsdreamlive

Countdown to Countdown - Day 21

Yesterday, I spoke about Goals and how they are related to dreams. Now on, during the rest of the countdown I wish to share some success stories. Stories of ordinary  people like you and me who had extraordinary dreams and they achieved them. There are many such stories but those many still are a handful!

As we prepare ourselves for Dream Live, Lets also look at our own dreams and find ways to achieve them. Let me emphasize again that dreams have to be Big, they have to be the best that you can do or the best that you can be! 
The poem selected by Bharadwaj Dayala is so apt, Dreams need that grit, perseverance and being able to visualise success. The 'never quit attitude', goes a long way. 
Just read a quote by another super achiever, " No way as way and no limitations as limitation." Make way where there's no way and there's no limitation to anything that you want to pursue or do!
Found this very profound indeed. Achievers need to have that kind of a foresight. That becomes the driving force for them. With that attitude how can anyone even think of failing? Success comes to those who believe in themselves and have that 'do or die' attitude!

I think I am quite fortunate to meet individuals who dreamt big for themselves and have realised  those dreams as well. They are not the famous faces but people who live among us. One such example is a recent message I received from an old student of mine. The message read, " Ma'aaam... I bought a car with my own money. Very happyyy today. Want to thank you for inspiring us.... Got to learn a lot from you." I replied,"Congrats". I was thinking in my mind 8 years after passing out buying his own car was okay, was it actually such a big deal? I read the message again, I remember that student to be very focused and had a good understanding and foresight. I asked which car he had bought. To that he said he'd send the picture. I received the picture the very next moment and the car was an Audi,  A4 Premium Plus. I was impressed, not with the car but the achievement of that student. Again, I wish to highlight that you never know whom you inspire and how!

There are many such people I know, I am sure there are many more of them out there. Such people become an inspiration for others. The achievement is of varying degrees, whats too good for one may not be anywhere close to the benchmark for the others. Its relative, so everyone has to try to be the best that they can be.

Would love to hear your dream stories. A lot of us believe in the magic of that secret. 

Tell us your stories too and will share them with others, you never know when someone gets inspired and your story changes a life.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala, the first Indian to go around the world on a motorcycle, will show us how to live our own dreams by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa in just 100 days starting with nothing.  He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.

https://www.facebook.com/BJsDreamLive

@letsdreamlive

Countdown to Countdown - Day 23

I must thank all the people who are joining us in this beautiful, inspirational and a meaningful journey. Yes its going to be a long one but we are going to devour every moment. I can see the readership building and what I deduct from that is everyone now wants to see what unfolds. Hold on, the process kick starts only on the 1st of March, as we start the 100 day campaign. I am your anchor, 'Sutradhar' as it is called in Hindi. I want to get you all ready for the 100 days when our dream takes off. Your interest and later on participation will be the key. Now that doesn't mean that we have no plans, yes plan is there in place and each day we are getting insights of the project. As I have called it my PhD, I am looking at all aspects. The pivot will still be the readers and participants.

I found this quote by Bharadwaj Dayala, profound
A writer is almost like God
He creates his own world and its people
And most importantly
Like God, he loves all his characters,
Good or bad equally.

All of us shall get an opportunity to become that 'writer', Dream Live needs inputs from all. That shall create the food for thought for this project.

The team has already started working on all aspects to keep the stage ready for the big day, March 1st. That's when all the participants and readers will step on that 'stage' and create their own plan that shall slowly but certainly find its way through till all is achieved! In the meanwhile do some introspection and find out what your dreams are. what do you aspire to be?

Dreams

We have been speaking about dreams. Is there a dearth of them?...Not at all, even common people dream, they dream big and have the capabilities to realise them. Dreams are always positive affirmations of success, and achieving greater heights and purpose. No one dreams to be a failure or become unsuccessful in something. Its not the dream that gives the negatives but the dreamer who probably questions his own capabilities. At times, rather than finding ways to realise the dream we may start compiling a list of things because of which the dream shall never be achieved. Concentrate on the first aspect, believing in your dreams and  everything else will fall in place. Believe in the magic of that dream and stick to it as if your life was dependant on it. And see how it is realised! Staying put and holding on to it! are the key words for today!

Believe me, if you can conceive it, you can achieve it. It only depends on how much you are willing to work for it. Anything is possible. Yes sometimes we are limited by our physical, mental or social conditions but even then each person has a skill in a different field of activity. You need to find what you excel in and then aim for the greatest position in that activity. And when you look around with such higher goals in mind, you will start seeing opportunities opening up to facilitate your dream to come live. It may take some time and a lot of effort. But if you can dream of it you can achieve it.

Break your bonds, cross your boundaries and GO BEYOND.

Would love to hear your dream stories. A lot of us believe in the magic of that secret. 

Tell us your stories too and will share them with others, you never know when someone gets inspired and your story changes a life.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala will show us how to live our own dreams by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa in just 100 days starting with nothing. He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.

https://www.facebook.com/BJsDreamLive

@letsdreamlive

Countdown to Countdown - Day 24

Hello Everyone!

We are now 24 days to go! somehow I like the number 24 and the date 5th! Don't know why but these two numbers look good and so does Dream Live. We are getting some fans and some people teaming with us on this absolutely voluntary and inspiring endeavour. 

I would like to thank the bloggers who I notice have started following my posts. Would love to hear from them, it certainly motivates me to keep scribbling my thoughts. I have seen the work of some of them and I know where they come from. Thanks.

The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world , are the ones who do.  ~Steve Jobs 

This is the 5th day of the Coutdown, I wish to share with you a bit from my own experiences, I am just a girl next door. Had my own goals, believed in them and have achieved whatever little I aspired and I keep looking at new goals and aiming to realise them as well just like a lot of you reading this. Something that I feel is significant and wish to share with you is getting married was a big decision as everything else would change from then. As I learnt more about my husband and we started understanding each other I told him what I visualised for us. And in 8 years of our marriage I guess we have achieved all that we shared with each other. 

I visualise things even for Dream Live and I believe that we are all going to achieve the target that we have set for ourselves. I will consider this as my PhD. Yes I am a doctoral candidate and almost half through my research but now the university wants me to attend 3 months classes fulltime, and the campus is far away in another city, this is very difficult for me at this point. It is possible but I don't want to do anything that will affect my children in anyway. When I associate with the Project I want to give myself the satisfaction of having earned a PhD when we realise our dream here in front of all connected. Afterall that's the purpose of any study, to visualise something, work towards it and make it happen, at the same time empowering and guiding others to achieve that. 

We need to have long term as well as short term goals. The moment we do that all the obstacles appear as pebbles on the pathway!.... and they are very easy to overcome.

Join us on facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the excitement building on to tour the world again on a motor cycle. Here, see the Dream going live and finally becoming a reality.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala will show us how to live our own dreams by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa in just 100 days starting with nothing. He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.

https://www.facebook.com/BJsDreamLive

@letsdreamlive

Countdown to Countdown - Day 25

The excitement is building up, we have more people joining us. Also Dream Live taking shape every moment, brainstorming and new ideas coming up. Also the larger picture unfolding. Its not about this post on the blog or the ride around the world on a motor cycle that Bharadwaj Dayala will eventually take up. 
These two are minuscule in comparison to the Big Picture that we visualise. Dreams are all about seeing the larger picture, the means to that will unfold gradually and start making sense each day as we progress.

Be with us each day so that you know where we are heading. Afterall the project will eventually progress with inputs from everyone on this platform. Let the idea engulf your thinking and your senses. 
Today, let me address the bikers. Who are they? Do we really understand them? The poster sums it all.

Read it somewhere that all men and women were created equal, then some go ahead and become bikers. Salute to the breed who follow their passion. Also, that you don't get old when you are riding but you get old when you stop doing that.... how true?

See the difference between a biker and a hooligan

Bikers, bikers at heart, pillion riders, enthusiasts and dreamers, be a part of the the magical journey that  shall unfold soon. Are you ready? Would love to hear from you all....

Join us on facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the excitement building on to tour the world again on a motor cycle. Here, see the Dream going live and finally becoming a reality.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala will show us how to live our own dream by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa in just 100 days starting with nothing. He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.
https://www.facebook.com/BJsDreamLive
@letsdreamlive

#DreamLive - Who am I?

In my last post I spoke about Bharadwaj Dayala, the first Indian to go around the world alone on a motor cycle.  He achieved that feat in 2006/ 07, a lot of us had no clue about the man or his achievements, I tried to find as much information on him as was possible. I got an opportunity to speak to him, did  the post on him. I also spoke about his upcoming project DreamLive. DreamLive is going to be unique no one has thought about a thing like this, in the whole world. It'll be people's project, and they'll see the dream of touring around the world on a motor cycle that Dayala has visualised being realised in front of them. 

My post has found tremendous response people have read it and recommended it. Its still being shared and I am getting friend requests in 100s now,  mostly from bikers. This makes me introduce myself to the readers. As people may wonder whats my role in the project? Why am I writing about it? and a whole lot of other queries. 

Me

I am not a professional blogger, I don't do any paid writing either. I am a hospitality professional and a Professor. My expertise, if it can be called at all is Learning and Development , I earned my Masters is Training and Development. This is what I do and writing is just a way of expressing myself and connecting with people. I am married to a Master mariner Capt. Rajesh Todiwan, the best friend that I have he can read me like a book. I am a mother of two boys, yes they are growing up and I am learning new things from them each day. My hands are full, dancing around the different roles that I play like all the other women. I guess this tells a lot about me. I am certainly not a biker but I follow the passion and I connect well with people who have dreams, passions that they follow in life. Who aspire to achieve their goals and whose goals are not the conventional ones. Its equally satisfying to see others  realise their dreams.

I thought people need to know about me as they'll hear a lot more from us henceforth, as a part of team DreamLive. Dayala is an achiever but I am an unknown face in the crowd. Yes whatever little I have done in my life I am proud of who I am and what I have achieved. I shall connect with my readers and all the individuals who will hop on to team DreamLive, bikers, non bikers, youngsters, older people, dreamers, achievers and anyone who wants to be a part of this dream and watch it going live. I explained the project to Capt. Todiwan who is anyway going around the world on his chemical tanker, he liked it, he becomes the first fan as far as Dream Live for me is concerned. It shall be driven by people that's what we have visualised and we are hopeful that as planned it shall be launched on 1st Match 2014 and 100 days from then it'll take off with Dayala going on his second World tour.

Dream Live

Dream Live will engulf you and your time in the coming year. It's a Unique project, will connect to youth as well as the older people. Social media will be used in a big way and it shall be a Hit! The scale of the project is large and exciting. You are going to love it.

As Dr. Abdul Kalam says, " Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep".

People don't want to dream as it brings a lot of stress, is time consuming and is difficult to achieve but its never impossible. People who dream big are the ones who have the courage to go at them and make them a reality. Dreams are exciting, enriching and very fulfilling. Working towards achieving those dreams is the most satisfying experience. Its not just the destination but the journey becomes enjoyable. Dayala says when he preparing for a target be it a tour of India on his bike, climbing the mountain or doing the world tour, he hardly sleeps. He's working all the time and that gives him immense satisfaction.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created detective Sherlock Holmes, it was his dream creation. That dream grew very big and he became bigger than Sir Doyle. He thought of killing that character and did so but the readers didn't like it and he started losing them, he had to bring Sherlock Holmes back to life. The character had to be revived. That's what dreams are all about.

An individual needs to look far and wide, think how he can work on his dream, make a time line for the project and then see it reaching one milestone from another. Finally the desired goal or dream is achieved.

Dream Live shall be launched on 1st of March but we begin with the Countdown to the Countdown from today.

The next post will be 28- Count down begins!