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5 Inspirational Hollywood Movies You Must Watch

5 Inspirational Hollywood Movies You Must Watch

by | Oct 1, 2015 | Life, Motivation, Productivity

If art is a window on society, and film is the seventh art form, then the question ‘do films reflect or represent reality’ seems to answer itself. Albeit you probably need to look beyond the usual Hollywood claptrap in order to find relevant examples.
~ Martin Guttridge-Hewit

So we sifted through the claptrap and have brought to you five inspirational Hollywood movies (in no particular order), that you absolutely must watch. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and if you’ve been wondering why Oorja Biz Ops has been focusing on literature and media lately, it is because only when you immerse yourself in these creative zones that you will (hopefully) imbibe some of the creativity. If inspiration doesn’t walk up to you and say hello, you need to find it and trap it in a little vial which you will have to refill every now and then. 🙂

  1. Whiplash – The story is about an ambitious young drummer and an arrogant and horrible teacher, the drummer needs the teacher, the teacher needs this student. They grow to hate each other ferociously. What results is victory for both, the teacher and the student. How is that even possible? You have to watch the movie to find out. The movie is about passion, dreams and achieving them no matter how hard life kicks you below the belt. An added bonus is the beyond amazing sound score. If this movie doesn’t inspire you, nothing ever will! Also, the movie couldn’t have been named more aptly!
  1. Forrest Gump – Forrest (Tom Hanks) is slow-witted, but has never thought of himself as disadvantaged, thanks to his mother and her upbringing. Life happens to him after he steps out of home. The movie unfolds seamlessly, moving swiftly through Forrest’s life and the challenges he faces in his struggle to be around people who are not as simple-minded as him. A large part of the movie is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and is quite telling of the times. No challenge seems to overwhelm Forrest, it is his childhood love who is his anchor – what happens when the person he cares about most, is also going to be the hardest to save? A must watch, and a standing ovation for Tom Hanks!

 

  1. The Shawshank Redemption- Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) has been wrongly convicted and sentenced to two consecutive life imprisonment terms for the murders of his wife and her lover – at the Maine’s Shawshank prison. If “survival of the fittest” could be expressed in the most graphic and telling way, it would be this movie. The story is about survival, friendship and ultimately, redemption. Ironically – redemption from a wrong he never committed. A movie that will always feature in lists of “All Time Inspirational Movies”!
  1. Schindler’s List- Set against the background of the holocaust and war, the movie is a bone chilling account of what it was like to be a Jew in Nazi Germany. Oskar Schindler is a businessman who plans on making a fortune from the ongoing war (World War II). He joins the Nazi party to prove his political affiliations and thinks it pragmatic to employ Jewish workers at his factory. When Hitler starts exterminating the Jews, he arranges for the safety of his workers so that his factory could continue with its operations. However, soon he realizes that it is not just his fear of running into a loss which is a concern, but also the more important fact that he is saving innocent human lives. To even imagine now that such atrocities were possible, seems impossible. But what the movie is, is simply a reflection of history. Beautifully directed, the movie leaves you thinking if you have it in you to make a difference, no matter how small.
  1. Dead Poets Society – Dear Robin Williams, thank you for being so amazing and may you rest in peace. The movie is a classic, and never fails to inspire you, no matter how many times you watch it. The story is about a legendary teacher who believes firmly that a student learns more from the world, than inside a classroom. An anchor for his students, he urges them to break out of their shells and explore the true meaning of the phrase – carpe diem! This movie makes one realize that all of us do have wings, but we prefer to keep them clipped. Once again, a must watch!

Of course these can’t be the only five movies and of course you disagree with us. So tell us about your all-time favourite inspirational Hollywood movies which leave you feeling charged up and ready to take on the world! And don’t forget to check out our five must-watch inspirational Bollywood movies, if you haven’t already.

5 Inspirational Bollywood Movies You Must Watch

5 Inspirational Bollywood Movies You Must Watch

by | Sep 21, 2015 | Life, Motivation, World of Work

There is some amount of discomfort while juxtaposing inspirational alongside Bollywood. What the phrase ‘Bollywood’ conjures in our heads is illogical song, dance, and mostly inspiration that we are better off without. That may be a stinging thing to say, however, I wonder if many would disagree. On the brighter side, the times, they are changing! We always have had great movies and still continue to make them. Different movies touch different people, but some movies are quite universally moving. Here is a list of five inspirational Bollywood movies [arranged in no particular order] that will leave you feeling moved, motivated, inspired. See if your favourites made this list (and tell us if they didn’t!).

 

  1. Anand – Some old is truly gold. This 1971 Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna starrer is a must watch – regardless of whether you are already a very inspired and motivated individual! While the story might sound familiar and seem like its old candy in new wrapper, you can watch it and still be very moved by it. Amitabh Bachchan plays a cancer doctor, and the story revolves around him and a patient of his – Anand (Rajesh Khanna), who discovers he is terminally ill and pledges to make the best of the time he has. The doctor’s experience with the patient leaves a profound impression on him, and so he writes a heartrending bestseller based on recorded interviews with Anand. A true depiction of our philosophy – Be Happy in the Now!
  1. Ship of Theseus – Anand Gandhi’s debut film, and one that has certainly made Indians very proud. It is truly a relief to observe that more and more people seem to have a stomach for alternative cinema, as opposed to the clichés and bling of Bollywood. The movie brings together three very different people from different walks of life, and concludes with how they are integrally connected to each other. The ‘how’ if I give away, will be a spoiler. Inspired by the paradox of Theseus – ‘if all parts of a ship were replaced by exactly the same parts, would it still be the same ship?’ The movie accomplishes the difficult job of portraying the paradox in all its complexity – through a rich tapestry of human experiences.
  1. Queen – A breath of fresh air in what we have so far called mainstream Bollywood. The story is about a Delhi based girl and how her life changes dramatically when her fiancé (and long-time boyfriend) breaks off the marriage. “Rani”, still decides to go on her ‘honeymoon’ – without her husband. While some call it feminism, I would say it is more about how travel and exposure (which has got nothing to do with being a feminist!) changes you and defines you as a person. You think you are someone, but it is only when you allow yourself to experience that you discover who you really are. And the discovery never really ends!
  1. English Vinglish – This movie was considered to be the “comeback” for Bollywood’s beloved – Sridevi. Contrary to what you may expect from a Sridevi starrer, this movie has its share of surprises for the audience. The movie has your attention right from the beginning, all the way to the end. Sridevi, plays the role of an ideal wife, mother and daughter. The problem is, she cannot speak in English – which has been a matter of great shame for her husband and children. When suddenly she has to go to the United States to attend her niece’s wedding, the alienation she faces in a foreign country because of her inability to converse in English, dares her to start taking spoken English classes. And that is the first step she takes for herself on the path to self-discovery. A truly motivational and inspiring flick and one that shouts out very subtly that it is never too late to learn!
  1. Stanley ka Dabba – Amole Gupte’s directorial debut is a beautiful movie which will bring back the memories of the yesteryears when we were all school kids. Stanley our protagonist is an expert story teller and quite a favorite amongst his classmates. However, behind his lively garb are the realities of life the child has to negotiate with. The movie delves into exploring the classroom and school dynamics and captures truthfully, how children emote. Why is this movie on this list if it is a movie about children? Well, when you watch it, you will realize, even though we are all grown-ups, we are still the same we were as children, in very many ways. It may be ‘about’ children, but it is not exclusively ‘for’ children! 🙂

We hope you liked the list of Inspirational Bollywood Movies we drew up for you, and if you did, be sure to tune in to the next post which is about 5 Inspirational Movies You Must Watch – Hollywood!

 

Top 5 Websites to Learn New Things Online for Free

Top 5 Websites to Learn New Things Online for Free

by | Aug 28, 2015 | Career, Motivation, World of Work

You can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.

Barbara Sher

Have some time on your hands and want to learn something new ? You know how the popular saying goes – the best things in life are always free ? Technology and the concept of open learning has indeed made it possible for the single most important and best thing to be accessed free of cost – knowledge. In this post we bring to you top five websites where you can learn new things online, absolutely free!

Coursera has grown to become one of the most popular MOOC (Massive Online Open Course). It has partnerships with top universities such as University of Michigan, University of Virginia, University of California, Yale University, Stanford University and many more. You may find courses on almost every popular subject. Anyone can register and get access to the course material and assignments for free. If you want to earn a Verified Certificate, then you have to pay a nominal fee. Coursera tries to make education accessible to everyone across the globe, the only requirement is an internet connection. The biggest advantage is the freedom and flexibility to accomplish courses. The classes are in the form of pre-recorded video lectures by the course instructor, which are always available to you once you sign up, unless it is a time bound course.

https://www.coursera.org/

Udacity is more catered towards the techie crowd who want to learn programming, web development and business development. It partners with the likes of Google, Facebook and Twitter to introduce customized courses such as Android Development, Front End Web Development and others. They also have courses that tilt slightly towards the brainy audience who take interest in science and math-related topics despite their current job profile. The courses do not have deadlines, however they may have other pre-requisites like quizzes. If you have the spark they’re ready for you!

 https://www.udacity.com/

Khan Academy probably doesn’t need any introduction. Partnering with many post-secondary schools, Khan Academy offers a useable, well-organized interface. Almost everyone has heard about it. It is essentially a hub of education where you can find courses for everyone and for all ages. All the courses are available for free. Khan Academy also curates many courses from around the web, offering an impressive depth on many different subjects

www.khanacademy.org

Open Culture is the place you need to be if you are struggling to find the material you are looking for. The page highlights more than a thousand lectures, videos and podcasts from universities around the world. It also offers a staggering collection of about four hundred courses, online, for free, from Ivy League universities, such as Stanford, UCLA, Columbia and Oxford University. The site features a lot of material found only on private sites of universities, all in easy to browse categories. This means you can find hundreds of university courses, without having to visit and search each university’s own site. Open Culture’s list features courses from England, Australia, Wales and many state universities around the United States. A very helpful resource for finding many courses in one area of study. The courses range from science and art to math and economics.

http://www.openculture.com/

Another great destination for more general learning is TED-Ed. (http://ed.ted.com/) From the same people who brought you the all-encompassing, motivational web series, comes a site choked with educational videos. Most include impressive animation, and all are ten minutes long or less. Don’t be surprised if you stumble across gripping videos on a wide array of subjects, such as “The Power of Simple Words” and “How Many Universes are There” and since all videos are under 10-minutes-long, you could listen to them while you’re taking a break at work as well! Remember knowledge is power. Not only is TED-Ed an excellent site for the curious, it also includes supplemental materials and quizzes on the videos. This makes the site extremely useful in formal education settings, as well as in entertaining ways to brush up on new discoveries and topics.

Happy Learning!

5 Reasons Why You Need A Mentor – II

5 Reasons Why You Need A Mentor – II

by | Aug 22, 2015 | Mentors, Motivation, World of Work

Continuing with our previous post on why having a mentor is a great idea for professional development, we present to you the final two reasons in favor of it!

4. You can follow in their footsteps: Having a mentor translates into having a guide. A guide with immense knowledge, and someone who has already been where you are today. Say you’ve always dreamed of managing your own PR firm—but you’re a little fuzzy on the details of how you’ll get there. Obviously, every career path is different, but having a mentor with your dream job is a great way to figure out what your next step (or four) should be. Maybe your mentor got a degree in marketing, then moved to New York to work at a PR agency. Then he/she spent a couple of years building up a huge network of contacts in the industry before branching out on his/her own. Look at that, your list of goals went from, “Graduate college, become owner of PR agency,” to, “Get marketing/advertising degree, find employment at firm in big city, go to networking events and make lots of connections, build credibility and reputation” !

You can also emulate your mentor in less obvious ways. Is he or she an avid user of social media? If that is something you feel has boosted his/her professional growth, you may do a self-assessment on how you would fare. If you currently work with your mentor, you could try asking to sit in on a meeting or phone call and pay attention to how your mentor interacts with others. Whoever said imitation was the sincerest form of flattery had it right.

5. The requisite confidence booster: We all have those days where it feels like we’re playing hide and seek with our confidence. Meaning, it’s missing in action. However, it doesn’t matter if your mentor has the job you want or a completely different one—he or she can be a great cheerleader, pumping you up when you’re feeling deflated, inspiring you to keep trying or reassuring you that you didn’t just flub up that interview.

As a result, you won’t feel like you’re totally alone trying to navigate in the career world. Because feeling as lost as Hrithik in Lakshya is good for movie, but it’s not so fun in real life.

It can also be incredibly difficult to keep things in perspective when you’re working at your first couple of internships or jobs; after all, you don’t have any experiences to compare them to. You may think it’s a huge deal that you spilled coffee all over your manager’s sparkling white button-up, but she tells you everyone has those moments—and then the protocol on buying your boss a new shirt.

Also, your mentor can push you to take on projects or apply for jobs that you don’t think you’re qualified for. A couple of people in the department you’re interning for are starting a massive rebranding project, and you think you have some valuable insights—but you’re scared of speaking up. If your mentor is just a phone call away, he or she can give you the confidence you need for volunteering!

Agree less? Agree wholeheartedly? Disagree completely? We love hearing from you. Do write in!

5 Reasons Why You Need A Mentor – I

5 Reasons Why You Need A Mentor – I

by | Aug 22, 2015 | Mentors, Motivation, World of Work

Coaching and mentoring are increasingly becoming indispensable for professional development, which indicates a positive change in individuals, showing their willingness to learn and grow. Organizations and companies find coaching and mentoring highly beneficial for the career growth of their employees. This helps not only the employee grow but also boosts the reputation of the organization, as a place which is concerned about the careers and growth of its employees. Even if your organization does not have a system of assigning you to mentors, it is still a great idea to find yourself one.

The best thing about a mentor is that you don’t have to be close to him or her personally, to benefit from his or her experiences. If you don’t live in the same city, or if you only talk once a month over phone or even if you only communicate via email—that’s okay!

Here are the first three of the five reasons for it!

  1. Foundation for a professional network. Having a great mentor, especially as you start your career, can jumpstart your professional network. Your mentor can introduce you to others in his or her network, and those connections can prove to be invaluable. There will be people who will take time for you because both you and they are connected to your mentor. Building a professional network is the key to growth and chances that you will find your next mentor through this very strategy can be pretty high. Nevertheless, getting the referral of someone who counts, is a huge boost anywhere.
  2. Improvement in Performance. With the help of a good mentor, you can work more efficiently with a clearer view of the future you are trying to achieve. This helps you feel more confident in your job, which leads to better job performance and more success along your chosen road.
  3. Thinking Outside the Box. A mentor can help you look at situations in new ways. He or she can ask hard questions and help you solve problems. They can help you gain a level of self-awareness which you thought you weren’t capable of. Facts like using your emotional intelligence to make judgements, reviews and take risks can be learnt from talking to a mentor, because you’ll never be as scared as they were when they did something risky. You will become proficient in understanding your own judgements and take the path less taken to overcome obstacles.

If you see reason in the first three reasons, you are going to like our concluding post on this topic even more. Tune in to our blog for the second part on “5 Reasons Why You Need a Mentor”!

5 Essential Skills You Need for a Happy and Successful Life

5 Essential Skills You Need for a Happy and Successful Life

by | Aug 10, 2015 | Motivation, World of Work

A poor workman always blames his tools, an alibi for his lack of skills. We can safely apply this metaphor to our personal and professional lives. Consciously or subconsciously, we all look for excuses to make up for our lack of skills in some area of life or the other. While some may regard this as far-fetched and too formulaic for leading lives, we are sticking our necks out to say this: if at all, there were 5 skills that you needed to assess yourself on, it would be the five listed below. Somewhere down the line, all these five skills merge to help us manage ourselves better and be happy and successful in both professional and personal life alike.

1. Adaptability – Whether it be having to switch jobs because you cannot see yourself growing at your current workplace anymore, or having to adjust to rapid changes in your personal life, we all know this – if there is anything that is constant, it is change.  The catch is, the faster you make your peace with it, the better and quicker will you be able to grow. True that it is easier said than done. Look for stability in whatever the situation is right now, do not root for stability in the long run, you never know how that is going to pan out. No one does. Taking one day at a time would be the best thing to do, and a mantra that will take you a long way is being “#HappyInTheNow”!

2. Organizational skills – If you are in the midst of a career flux, we would recommend getting your bearings together by doing a skills assessment, having an updated CV, having your career Rolodex organized and more. If you were in the midst of a personal crisis, agony aunts would recommend inward and outward detox – cleaning up your emotions, your thoughts as well as your surroundings. Being organized in the way you live life is actually a great way to live! It takes less effort than you think it would but has manifold advantages!

3. Communication – No prize for guessing this one. We all know how important communication is when it comes to the world of work and to our personal worlds as well. All our worlds would simply come to a grinding halt if we weren’t good at this particular skill! Be it responding to emails, presenting oneself in interviews, (or conducting interviews for that matter), managing a long distance relationship, how on earth would we get on if we didn’t know the art of reaching out and communicating in an appropriate manner?!

4. Assertiveness – Being a pushover is the worst thing one can do to oneself. Actually, worse is, we seldom realize if we are pushovers, because we are so used to be taken for granted. If you find yourself doing unnecessary amounts of work, mostly for other people and have nothing to gain for it, or if you find yourself being constantly goaded into saying yes to several things you’d rather say no to, (both at work and in your personal life) probably it is time to take a step back. Learning how to put your foot down, assert yourself and making yourself clear about something you want or do not want is a non-negotiable.

5. Decision-making – Indecisiveness has cost many of us some of the best things we could have decided for ourselves. Decision making is a crucial skill, at work and home alike. Being indecisive could severely affect our goal setting abilities in our professional lives. Knowing what you want to achieve is the first step towards actually achieving it. Find out what you want to accomplish and don’t turn back until you have. Taking a stand is crucial in such situations. Being confused is but normal. However, confusion should not become a constant state of mind, to the point where it clouds all our judgements.

And that is all you need to be the HERO of your own life story!

Worldly wise, much?! Well, you can forget it all and just be #HappyInTheNow ! That has worked for us quite as well 🙂

We are waiting to hear and learn from you. Let us know your take?