Make the most of life

THE ENSUING thought is cliche-ridden, platitudinous, and for less-sophisticated ears, bromidic and full of cuckoo words.

Here's the thought: There's an education that teaches us how to earn a living and there's another that instructs us how to live.

You must have surely heard this afore-written thought thundered a zillion times from the pulpits of inspirational speakers. And it is smack from "Clicheville." I warned you, didn't I? But wait a minute. Cliches aren't that bad. In fact, they aren't bad at all. Well, let me spring to the defence of cliches and restore them to their rightful place in the pantheon of linguistic devices.

It is difficult to break the habit of cliched usages, because it's very easy to continue with it, as is the case with any habit. A cliche is a diluted wisdom or a realistic observation or a convenient "cogitative handle" couched in an easy-to-use diction.

Before I let this write-up assume shades of an exposition of the character of cliches, let me introduce you to some websites which are oriented towards helping people "learn how to live." The thrust of this week's webware is self-development, and not cliches.

Selfgrowth.com

This website is a "definitive guide to personal growth, self- improvement and self-help."

Here are some of the topics covered:

Accelerated learning; adult development; addiction and recovery; ageing and longevity; alternative medicine; anger; anxiety; aromatherapy; assertiveness training; astrology; attention deficit disorder; biofeedback; body language; body building; brain enhancement; child development and parenting; creativity enhancement; dating and the singles life; death, dying and grief; depression; dieting and weight loss; divorce; dream information; friendship and loneliness; goal setting; foreign language training; herbal remedies; hypnosis; leadership skills; love and marriage; martial arts; humour, fun and games; meditation; memory training; subliminal learning; self-esteem; speed reading; stress management; therapy and counselling; success coaching; time management; and spiritual development.

Chickensoup.com

Most of you out there must be familiar with the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series of books. Here, the "Chicken Soup" is ladled out online.

At chickensoup.com you get information on book titles, contests, get to read featured stories and could subscribe for daily (motivational) e-mail.

The website also invites you to send stories "you would like to see published in the future editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can submit stories you have written or stories you have liked that were written by others."

You could buy the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books online and save 20 per cent on your purchase.

Lifescope.com

Here's what lifescope, an inspirational website, says about itself.

"We provide tools and resources that help you get the most from life.......This site contains results-oriented ideas from some of the most highly regarded and innovative authors, counselors and teachers in the world. Some of what you'll find is "common" sense, and some is downright radical. Some you may be familiar with, and some is guaranteed original. But everything we offer has the sole purpose of helping you discover and design the life you really want."

Coming back to the cliched thought, self-development as a subject is paid, if at all, only a cursory attention. Its efficacy is often questioned. This is the measure we take of successful people: "Their rolls of the dice paid off." Well, they may have had their slices of luck alright; but attributing their success to just one fortuitous event after another is to misread reality. A closer reading of their lives shows that they displayed a quality as human beings that set them apart. Mozart could have been blessed with "divine gifts" - he could compose music when just a five-year-old. Talent took him only half the way to being acknowledged as the music Titan of all time. His attitude covered the other half. He composed his timeless symphonies and sonatas while battling familial discords and negotiating financial bottle-necks. Let Mozart be our example.

Now that I have made out a strong case for self-development, may I request you to browse these three websites?

Compiled by

PRINCE FREDERICK

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