Category: Values

Purposefulness and Empathy: The New Currency of Leadership

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn AI, Communications, Conference learnings, Dehumanisation, Empathy, energy, engagement., EQ, happiness, Humanness, Leadership, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, Psychomatric diagnostics, purpose, Purpose Quest, Purposeful Leadership, Purposefulness, Relationships, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment

We live in a world that is more connected than ever before. Technology enables us to communicate instantly across continents, collaborate in real time, and access information at unprecedented speed. Yet many people feel increasingly disconnected from meaningful relationships and meaningful work. Organisations, too, face declining engagement, burnout, and growing challenges in retaining talent.

Perhaps one of the greatest leadership challenges of our time is not simply improving performance or strengthening relationships. It is learning how to cultivate both meaningful contribution and meaningful connection.

This is where purposefulness and empathy intersect.

Continue reading “Purposefulness and Empathy: The New Currency of Leadership” →

How to Remain Human in the Age of AI

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn AI, Business, Communications, Conference learnings, Dehumanisation, Ecology, Environment, EQ, Humanness, Leadership, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, Purposeful Leadership, Purposefulness, Relationships, Team Excellence, Technology, ValuesLeave a comment

Artificial Intelligence is transforming our world at an astonishing pace. Tasks that once required human expertise can now be completed in seconds. AI can analyse data, generate content, recommend solutions to complex problems, and even engage in conversations that feel remarkably human.

While these advances offer tremendous opportunities, they also present a profound question: as machines become increasingly intelligent, how do we remain deeply human?

The greatest risk of AI may not be the loss of jobs or the disruption of industries. It may be the gradual erosion of the very qualities that make us human. As we become accustomed to outsourcing our analysis, thinking, decision-making, and even aspects of our relationships to technology, there is a danger that efficiency begins to replace wisdom, convenience begins to replace effort, and information begins to replace understanding.

Yet, when viewed through the lens of purposefulness, we see that the more capable AI becomes, the more valuable uniquely human capacities become.

One of these capacities is judgement. AI can process vast amounts of information, but it cannot fully understand psychosocial contexts, emotions, values, ethics, or the consequences of decisions in the way humans can. Much of this knowledge is unique to each individual and is shaped by lived experience rather than stored in a data centre. In an increasingly complex world, the ability to exercise sound judgement will become far more important than simply possessing information.

Continue reading “How to Remain Human in the Age of AI” →

One Purpose, Many Paths

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, engagement., Environment, happiness, Leadership, Life, Personal Excellence, purpose, Purposeful Leadership, Purposefulness, Relationships, societal, Spiritual, Sri Lanka, ValuesLeave a comment

Over the past few weeks, Sri Lanka has quietly witnessed something quite remarkable. In the space of just days, Vesak was celebrated across the country, while Muslims observed Eid al-Adha, known locally as Hajj. Christians celebrated Easter earlier in the month, and Hindus observed Thai Pongal, Maha Shivaratri and Deepavali earlier in the year. This sense of unity is further strengthened through shared moments such as the New Year on the first of January, and when Sinhala and Tamil communities celebrate a traditional New Year in April.

At its heart, this is a collective pause, a moment to reset, express gratitude and step into the year ahead with renewed intention. These moments unfold not in competition, but in coexistence. They serve as a gentle reminder that, despite different expressions of belief, there is a shared rhythm in how communities seek meaning, connection and purpose.

This reveals something deeper than a series of celebrations. It reflects a pattern of alignment around renewal, reflection and purposeful living. This unity becomes particularly visible in times of difficulty. One recent example is the Ditwah cyclone, which affected many parts of the country, where people came together to support each other in survival and recovery, irrespective of their spiritual beliefs.

Across traditions, there is a shared inquiry: Why are we here, and how should we live?

Continue reading “One Purpose, Many Paths” →

Purposefulness in a World at War

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn 2026, Communications, Compassion, Conflict, Economics, energy, Leadership, purpose, Purposeful Leadership, Purposefulness, Relationships, Spiritual, Sri Lanka, Values, World affairs, World at WarLeave a comment
A glowing glass ring floats above a destroyed city with small fires and light beams.
A luminous crystalline ring hovers above a miniature landscape of urban ruins and glowing embers.

As the war in the Middle East continues to unfold, it is difficult to remain untouched by the images, stories, and consequences that surround us. Families displaced, lives lost, travellers stranded far from home, and entire societies living under sustained fear and uncertainty. In moments such as these, any reflection on leadership must begin with humility.

It is important to acknowledge something that is often overlooked in conversations about conflict: those engaged in war rarely see themselves as acting without purpose. On the contrary, every party involved believes it is acting in the service of its people, its values, and its understanding of justice or security. The challenge, therefore, is not an absence of purpose, but the narrowness of the purposes being pursued.

When purpose is defined only within national, ideological, religious, or territorial boundaries, it can legitimise actions that cause immense suffering beyond those borders. Purpose, when disconnected from a wider moral horizon, becomes a powerful justification for harm.

This raises a difficult but necessary question: What would it mean to act purposefully in a world at war?

Continue reading “Purposefulness in a World at War” →

Purposeful Leadership 12: The Three Branches Working in Concert

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Communications, Leadership, Personal Excellence, purpose, Purpose Quest, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, Relationships, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment

Purposeful leadership is often understood as a progression: purposeful self-leadership, followed by purposeful people leadership, and eventually purposeful organisational leadership. While this sequence is a helpful entry point, it does not reflect how leadership is actually lived. In practice, purposeful leadership is not linear. It is cyclical, relational, and complex. Each form of purposeful leadership both shapes and is shaped by the others, forming a living system rather than a developmental ladder.

Purposeful self-leadership is the inner anchor of this system. It is the ongoing practice of aligning values, beliefs, intentions, and actions with a deeper sense of purpose. This inner work is not private or abstract. It shows up most clearly when leaders are under pressure, navigating ethical tension or difficult trade-offs. When leaders lack inner coherence, purpose becomes performative. When they are grounded in purposefulness, they are better able to act with integrity, resist expedient compromises, and hold responsibility with maturity.

Purposeful people leadership is where inner purpose meets relational reality. Purpose is tested not in declarations, but in conversations, decisions, and everyday interactions. The way leaders listen, build trust, address conflict, and hold accountability reveals whether purposeful self-leadership is truly embodied. Purposeful people leadership translates inner alignment into lived experience, shaping how people feel, engage, and commit to the organisation.

Continue reading “Purposeful Leadership 12: The Three Branches Working in Concert” →

A Purposeful 2026: A Reflective Exercise

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn 2026, belief, energy, engagement., EQ, family, happiness, hope, Leadership, Life, new-year, Personal Excellence, purpose, Purpose Quest, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, Spiritual, success, ValuesLeave a comment

As we welcome 2026, many of us feel the familiar mix of gratitude, exhaustion, and anticipation. The year has given us moments we are proud of, and moments that remind us how imperfect, human and evolving we are. Before we rush into 2026, this is a valuable moment to pause, to breathe, and to reflect on how purposefully we lived in 2025.

Over the years, through the Purposeful Leadership series, I have written about the importance of aligning who we are, how the quality of our leadership begins with the quality of our inner world and how we lead. As I look back on 2025, I am reminded again that purposefulness is not a grand concept; it is a daily practice.

A simple way to explore your own experience of purposeful leadership is through three lenses: purposeful self, purposeful team, and purposeful organisation.

Continue reading “A Purposeful 2026: A Reflective Exercise” →

Complexities of Purposeful Organisational Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 11)

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Leadership, purpose, Purpose Quest, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment

In the previous article, we explored how to develop purposeful organisational leadership. In this post, we focus on the complexities of purposeful organisational leadership and potential remedies.

Organisations do not become purposeful by proclamation; they become purposeful by orchestration. And orchestration is complex. It asks leaders to conduct a score that balances markets and meaning, governance and grace, pace and patience. If purposeful people leadership is the dance with paradox at the human scale, then purposeful organisational leadership is that paradox amplified across systems. The stakes are higher, the variables multiplied, the pressure relentless. Yet the beauty is also greater, because purposeful organisations can hold the space where profit and flourishing meet.

The first complexity is when the purpose is only a brand. Organisations often craft eloquent purpose statements, then proceed to pursue them with methods that quietly contradict the message. Purpose is not merely narrative; it is action. When we violate this principle, people quickly learn that the banner on the wall is not the truth on the floor. To lead purposefully at the organisational level, we must ensure that strategy, structure, systems, and culture are not just aligned conceptually, but coherent behaviourally. This coherence is evident in how we behave, especially when performance pressures intensify.

Continue reading “Complexities of Purposeful Organisational Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 11)” →

Developing Purposeful Organisational Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 10)

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Communications, engagement., Leadership, purpose, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, ValuesLeave a comment

In the previous article, we explored what purposeful organisational leadership means and why it matters. In this post, we focus on how leaders can intentionally develop purposeful organisational leadership, turning purpose from a statement into a lived reality across the organisation.

Start with Leadership Commitment

“I hold the view that leaders are better able to contribute to the flourishing of life if their actions are guided by a deeper sense of purpose” (De Silva, 2024, p.6). Therefore, purposeful organisational leadership needs to begin at the top. Senior leaders must embrace the organisation’s purpose as a guiding principle for decisions and behaviours. This commitment is not symbolic; it requires courage to prioritise purpose even when short-term pressures tempt compromise.

Make the Organisational Purpose Your Guiding Light

The starting point for developing purposeful organisational leadership is a clear purpose statement. This is not a marketing slogan; it is the organisation’s reason for being and its unique contribution to the flourishing of life. From this foundation, leaders can craft a mission statement that defines how the purpose will be delivered and set Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) to drive long-term success.

Continue reading “Developing Purposeful Organisational Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 10)” →

Purposeful Organisations (Purposeful Leadership – Part 9)

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Leadership, purpose, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, societal, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment

In the previous articles, we explored the first two branches of purposeful leadership: self and people. In this post, we turn to the third and final branch, purposeful organisations. If purposeful leadership begins with the individual and extends to teams, its ultimate expression is in organisations that are guided by purpose rather than vision.

Beyond Vision: Why Purpose Matters

Traditional organisations often define themselves through vision statements, aspirations of what they want to become. While visions can inspire, they are frequently inward-looking, focused on growth, dominance, or profitability.

Purposeful organisations, by contrast, start with a deeper question: Why do we exist? The answer is not about market share or shareholder value; it is about contribution to the flourishing of life. “Flourishing workplaces require the re-creation of organisations to give life to a truly postmodern era of collaboration in order to facilitate organisations to flourish on this planet for future generations” (De Silva, 2024).

Purpose is not an add-on, like corporate social responsibility (CSR). It is not a department or a project. It is the organising principle of the entire enterprise. Every policy, process, and decisions flow from the purpose. Every role is designed to serve it. Every strategy is evaluated against it. Purpose becomes the compass that guides the organisation through daily decisions, complexities and change.

Continue reading “Purposeful Organisations (Purposeful Leadership – Part 9)” →

Complexities of Purposeful People Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 8)

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Communications, engagement., EQ, Leadership, purpose, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment

In the previous article, we explored how leaders can intentionally develop purposeful people leadership, an approach that transforms teams and organisations by aligning individual purpose with collective contribution.

While this aspiration is noble and deeply impactful, it is not without its complexities. In this post, we examine the challenges, paradoxes, and tensions that arise when we choose to lead people purposefully.

Cognitive Aspects

One of the first complexities arises from how people cognitively make sense of the notion of purposefulness. The concept of “purpose” is often misunderstood or conflated with goals. While goals are specific outcomes we strive to achieve, purpose is the deeper reason behind those goals, the “why” that gives them meaning. This distinction is not always clear, and many team members may struggle to grasp its relevance. Some may view purposefulness as abstract or philosophical, disconnected from the practical realities of work.

Moreover, individuals interpret purpose through the lens of their own experiences, beliefs, and values. What feels purposeful to one person may seem irrelevant or even threatening to another. Leaders must navigate these differences with sensitivity, helping people explore and articulate their own understanding of purpose without imposing a singular definition. This requires patience, dialogue, and a willingness to embrace ambiguity.

Continue reading “Complexities of Purposeful People Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 8)” →

Developing Purposeful People Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 7)

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn happiness, Leadership, Life, Personal Excellence, purpose, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment

In the previous article, we explored the concept of purposeful people leadership and its importance. In this post, we delve into how leaders can intentionally develop purposeful people leadership, an approach that transforms teams and organisations by aligning individual purpose with collective contribution.

Purposeful people leadership begins with the leader’s own sense of purpose. When leaders connect their role to their higher purpose, they begin to see their primary responsibility not just as managing tasks, but as developing their team members, purposefully. This shift in perspective changes everything. The team is no longer a means to an end; it becomes the very reason for leadership. The leader’s purpose expands to include helping team members discover their own purpose and align it with meaningful roles.

This development process starts with purposeful conversations. Leaders engage with team members to understand their aspirations, strengths, struggles, concerns about their world and values they aspire to live by. They help individuals reflect on their personal purpose, articulate a purpose statement and explore how it can be expressed through their work. When people are placed in roles that resonate with their purpose, they flourish. Their contribution becomes authentic, passionate, and sustainable.

Continue reading “Developing Purposeful People Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 7)” →

Developing Purposeful Self-Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 4)

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Ecology, energy, Environment, EQ, family, happiness, Health Care, hope, Leadership, Life, Personal Excellence, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, Spiritual, Struggles, success, Values1 Comment

We explored the notion of Purposeful Self-leadership in the last post, part 3 of this series titled ‘Start with the Self’. Today we explore how to develop Purposeful Self-Leadership and in the next post, we can explore the complexities of such an aspiration. In the first two articles of this series, we explored the two key concepts of purposeful leadership: purposefulness and leadership, and the three branches of purposeful leadership: self, people, and organisations.

Developing Purposeful Self-Leadership starts with articulating a purpose statement depicting our sense of purpose at the current stage of life. The first version of the purpose statement is only a glimpse of our purpose as finding purpose is a lifelong journey. However, having a sense of purpose begins the quest and gives us the drive and desire to be purposeful. Being purposeful improves our clarity about our life purposes and helps us fine-tune our purpose statement, leading to us being more purposeful. This cyclical process not only improves our sense of purpose and purposefulness but also attracts abundance to succeed in vocations aligned with our life purpose, gives us happiness and peace of mind (De Silva, 2024).

Continue reading “Developing Purposeful Self-Leadership (Purposeful Leadership – Part 4)” →

Start with the Self (Purposeful Leadership – Part 3)

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Compassion, energy, happiness, hope, Leadership, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, purpose, purposeful leadership, Purposefulness, Relationships, Spiritual, Values1 Comment

Purposeful leadership starts with the purposefulness of the individual holding the leadership role. How can a purposeless individual help people and organisations to be purposeful? I am not claiming that all leaders are purposeful self-leaders. Many are not, and as a result, the people and businesses are not purposeful. In this article, we explore the notion of purposeful self-leadership. Given the need to keep these articles short, we will explore how to develop purposeful self-leadership and the complexities of such an aspiration in subsequent articles. In the first two articles of this series, we explored the two keywords of the concept of purposeful leadership: purposefulness and leadership and the three branches of purposeful leadership: self, people and organisations.

A useful question to ask at the outset is what is purposefulness and how do we know we are purposeful?

Continue reading “Start with the Self (Purposeful Leadership – Part 3)” →

Saying ‘Yes’ to Beingness

On By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Compassion, Ecology, Environment, happiness, Health Care, hope, Life, Love, purpose, Releasing, Spiritual, Struggles, ValuesLeave a comment

An original poem by Ranjan De Silva

Image credits: goodmorninggratitude.com





Beingness invites us to ‘be’





But we attempt to ‘become’





Are we human beings or human becoming’s?





What would it mean to just be?




 Continue reading “Saying ‘Yes’ to Beingness” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Moral Foundation of Value

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Compassion, Leadership, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

“The first principles of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all really hinges on moral foundations. In other words, that this is a moral universe, and that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws” – Marting Lucher King Jr.





The importance of value for organisational and personal purpose came into my radar about 25 years ago when I was in the mid thirties in age. I have incorporated this notion in my leadership development practice in developing leaders and helping them transform organisations. As I started inquiring in to this notion as a part of my doctoral studies a few years ago, having learnt to look at things critically from different paradigms, I realised the complexity of the notion of ‘values’.




 Continue reading “The Moral Foundation of Value” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Values – The Compass of Morality

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Conflict, engagement., Knowing, Leadership, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Relationships, Sales, Spiritual, Struggles, success, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






Think of the last time you had to make a difficult decision. A time where options were difficult to pick from. A time where the more materialistically profitable option did feel right. I have faced many such situation. I would like to share my personal experiences to help shed some light on this dilemma. 





When I have such a dilemma I reflect on my aspired values to find direction as per the quote by Idowu Koyenikan in the visual above. The five values I attempt to live by are  summarised I the following statement. 




 Continue reading “Values – The Compass of Morality” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Developing Values

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, engagement., Leadership, Personal Excellence, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






We inculcate values during our formative ages, influenced by family, teachers, religion and the society we live in. I always found it is difficult to ‘train’ people to live values as they are already part of each person. I also agree with the above quote by Jennifer Cruise; values do not take us get anywhere, they define us. Therefore what is the point of having values in an organisation and developing team members to live by organisational values.




 Continue reading “Developing Values” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Your Children Are Not Your Children

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Compassion, energy, family, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Relationships, Soul Nourishing Poems, Spiritual, Struggles, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

When I first read these lines in the ‘Road Less Travelled’ by M.Scott Peck, quoted from the original writings of Khalil Gibran, I was confused. What are you saying? My children are my children, I gave birth to them and I did what it takes to grow them in to purposeful adults. However, after listening to it and reflecting on it, I realised how profound these words were. I have created a video with these words of wisdom as you see embedded in this blog. I recommend you watch and listen to the words in the video, reflect on it and then read the rest of the blog.













I believe the impact this video creates is different from person to person. I also believe the impact this video creates for you is determined by the journey of your life so far, where you are in your life now and your aspirations for the journey ahead. Therefore I feel the best contribution I can make is to write about what this poem means to me. Perhaps that might give you another perspective for you to reflect on, perhaps nourish your perspective and move you on to further reflection. 





 Let me reflect on the verse in two parts;




 Continue reading “Your Children Are Not Your Children” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Who Are You?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, hope, Knowing, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, Struggles, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






Do you really know who you are? Well, I am still discovering who I am and I am not sure if I will ever find the answer. However, everyday I live with this question in my mind, I see a little bit more of who I am. 





So, how do we find who we are? 




 Continue reading “Who Are You?” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Being Human – Path to Being Religious

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Life, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			











Reflection Guide





Reflect on the basic human qualities taught by each religion and philosophy. Reflect on the extent to which we measure up to those qualities. What changes do we need before we earn the right to call ourselves Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or any other religion or philosophy we belong to.


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
When We Judge a Book by the Cover!

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Compassion, happiness, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Songs for Growth, Spiritual, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

I Dreamed  A Dream by Susan Boyle





An amazing perforce that stunned the audience and judges at Britains Got Talent. 













Reflection Guide:





As you watch this video, think of the times that you have pre-judged someone by your initial perception. How many time have they surprised you with the real substance in them. Reflect on times that you had been in the receiving end. What learnings do you take from the reflection and what steps would you take to change your attitude and help other change their attitude. 





Songs for Growth


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
How Is The Pandemic Serving Us?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Conflict, Ecology, happiness, Knowing, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Purpose Quest, Spiritual, Struggles, success, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credits: Wired.com





In the one before the last blog post (two Wednesdays ago) in the ‘Purpose Quest’ series, I attempted to list down questions that came up during my various interactions with various audience over the last 6 months of the pandemic. I started attempting to write about how I responded to those question and the insights I had regarding the first two questions related to goals, in last Wednesdays blog post. Let me attempt to respond to the third questions;





What is the purpose of the pandemic? How is it serving us?




 Continue reading “How Is The Pandemic Serving Us?” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Courage To Fail – Path to Success

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Communications, energy, engagement., hope, Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, learning, Personal Excellence, psychology, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

A Thought Provoking Talk by Les Brown 













As you watch this video, reflect on your attitude towards failure, rejection and setbacks etc. What steps would you take to reinforce your attitude or change your attitude to enjoy success? 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Inspiring Leader

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Communications, EQ, happiness, hope, Leadership, Life, Soul Nourishing Poems, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Leadership – A poem by Spatula – Read by Mathew Coger





As you listen to this poem, reflect on your current attitude about leadership. Does this move you into thinking of doing what you are doing as a leader or to change your leadership approach? What baby steps would you take to reinforce your good leadership behaviours and/or transform. 




















			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Upholding Values in a Materialistic World

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Life, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






Reflection Guide





Reflect on the values you aspire to live by, the challenges you face in upholding those values in a materialistic world and steps you are taking to avoid compromising your values. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Attitude of Gratitude For Those Who Raised You Up

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, hope, Leadership, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Songs for Growth, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

You Raised Me Up  by Westlife













Reflection Guide:





As you listen to this song, reflect on those who raised you up so that you can stand on mountains and walk on stormy seas, specially during times of troubles and heart burn with an attitude of gratitude. 





Lyrics 





When I am down, and, oh, my soul, so weary
When troubles come, and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence
Until you come and sit awhile with me





You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be





You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be





You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I…





Songs for Growth


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Goals! What Goals?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Ecology, happiness, Knowing, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Purpose Quest, Spiritual, Struggles, success, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credits: Saba.com





In the last blog post in the ‘Purpose Quest’ series, I attempted to list down questions that came up during my various interactions with various audience over the last 6 months of the pandemic. I will attempt to write about how I responded to those question and the insights I had, in the next few blog posts. So let’s begin with the first two questions. Both of them are related to goals;





My goals have become irrelevant due to the pandemic? What do I do now?





Why do I need to have goals when they can become irrelevant due to uncontrollable situation?




 Continue reading “Goals! What Goals?” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Emotions that Motivate you

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Communications, energy, engagement., hope, Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, learning, Personal Excellence, psychology, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

A Power Packed Talk by Tony Robins 













As you watch this video, reflect on your motivation (motive to take action). How does emotion (energy in motion) creates that motivation  from within that helps us make a difference? 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Philosophies That Drive Us

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Compassion, happiness, Health Care, Knowing, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, Struggles, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






For Neil deGrasse Tyson, its increasing knowledge and reducing suffering daily, that drives hime? Reflect on what drives you everyday.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Questions about Purpose

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Conflict, Ecology, happiness, Knowing, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Purpose Quest, Spiritual, Struggles, success, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credits: thamarathorpe.com





The last six month opened up amazing opportunities for me to reflect on the notion of purpose. These opportunities arose during conversations with family, team and clients in trying to make sense of the pandemic. These opportunities arose during webinars conducted to help people with their concerns, anxieties, stress and other psychological challenges. These opportunities arose from the 150 plus participants from 15 countries taking part in the four ‘Mastery of Self’ through NLP, online certificate courses over the past few months. 





In this blog post I will attempt to list down the questions that came up. Some of these questions were already asked earlier, some of these are modifications to the old questions and some of these are new questions. 





My goals have become irrelevant due to the pandemic? What do I do now?





Why do I need to have goals when they can become irrelevant due to uncontrollable situation?





What is the purpose of the pandemic? How is it serving us?





Is our purpose changed due to changing realities?





I am struggling more due to the pandemic. Is it helping me to find purpose?





Am I struggling more during the pandemic because I try to live purposefully?





Do our values change with situations? Arn’t they supposed to be fixed?





Isn’t values an important component of our purpose?





My purpose is clashing with the purpose of some of my family. It is prominent now because I spend a lot of time with them. How do it deal with them?





Are religious people more purposeful than non-religious people?





Does spirituality become more important than religion for purposeful people?





Does the notion of Purposeful living taken a new meaning with the pandemic?





Are world leaders being purposeful in the way they are handling the pandemic? 





I will reframe from answering these questions to provide you the opportunity to reflect and answer these questions. I am not sure what that process will do. I will be delighted to hear from you the answers that came up and how these questions and answers served you. 





I wish you purposeful living.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Coin That Makes The Difference

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Communications, Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, learning, Marketing, Personal Excellence, psychology, Relationships, Sales, service, success, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

What can a coin reveal about your service mindset? Listen to Ron Kaufman and discover.  













As you watch this video by customer service guru Ron Kaufman, reflect on the ‘coin’ that is preventing you from reaching specialness. What will it take to pick up YOUR coin and get rid of it today?







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Who Needs Healing? The Society, You or Both?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, societal, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






As you read this quote, reflect on how well or sick the society you live in. Do you see the level of wellness and sickness or are you blind to it? Have you adjusted to the society or are you trying to adjust the society to be well so that you can be in sync with it. What baby steps would you take to heal the society?  If you do not see how sick the society is, do you require some healing/ If so what step would you take?  Hope these questions are helpful in finding success, happiness and peace.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Where Great Men Are Made

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn belief, Ecology, EQ, happiness, hope, IQ, learning, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, purpose, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






The place which developed thousands of boys to be men of stature for over 165 year, the place I had the good fortune of being nurtured, St Anthony’s Collage in Kandy, the hill capital of Sri Lanka. The picture speaks of the nurturing location on the banks of the Mahaweli river, the space provided for sports signifying the importance of the development of the body in addition to the mind. To write about the great men produced by St Anthony’s will take a few books. All I have is gratitude for my alma mater. 










 


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Pandemic and Temporal Aspect of Purposefulness

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Ecology, Environment, family, happiness, Health Care, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Purpose Quest, Relationships, societal, Spiritual, success, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credit: Nationalpost.com





In the last 8 blog posts in the ‘purpose quest series’, we explored how the pandemic impacted eight important pillars for purposeful living; spiritual, mental, emotional, relational, physical (health), financial, environmental and societal. Let’s explore the ninth pillar, the ‘temporal’ aspect in this blog post. As in the past eight blog posts let me attempt to describe my personal experience during the pandemic. 





The word ‘Temporal’ has two broad applications; relating to worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs (secular) and relating to time. I use the word in relation to the use of time. The temporal aspect of purposeful relates to the use of limited time. The purposeful person attempts to utilise most of the time for purposeful activity, which requires letting go of non-purposeful activity. 





The last eight weekly blog posts in the ‘purposeful quest’ series illustrated how my time was allocated to purposeful activity in spiritual, mental, emotional, relational, physical (health), financial, ecological and temporal areas. These activities took most of my waking time and there was rarely any time remaining for non-purposeful activity during the approximately 16 hours of waking time. 





The sense I make from this reflection is that the pandemic gave me so much  opportunities to be purposeful, that it left me with almost no time for non-purposeful activities. This way of life has kept me occupied in meaningful and energising activity, giving me inner success, happiness and peace.  My purpose is to inspire others to live a purposeful life and I hope this series of blog posts will inspire you too to live a purposeful life and find Success happiness and peace.   







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
How You Lived Will Epitomise Your Death

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Compassion, happiness, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Soul Nourishing Poems, Spiritual, Struggles, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

How Did You Die? – Edmund Vance Cooke 













Reflect on the deeper meaning of this poem as you listen to it and read the lyrics below. How did you respond to trouble times? What did you do when you fell down? What is real success & failure? How would you face life’s challenges from now onwards? 





Read by Shane Morris – Full Poem: 





Did you tackle that trouble that came your way





With a resolute heart and cheerful?





Or hide your face from the light of day





With a craven soul and fearful? 





Oh, a trouble’s a ton, or a trouble’s an ounce,





Or a trouble is what you make it,





And it isn’t the fact that you’re hurt that counts,





But only how did you take it? 





You are beaten to earth? 





Well, well, what’s that!Come up with a smiling face.





It’s nothing against you to fall down flat,





But to lie there-that’s disgrace. 





The harder you’re thrown, why the higher you bounce





Be proud of your blackened eye!





It isn’t the fact that you’re licked that counts;





It’s how did you fight-and why? 





And though you be done to the death, what then?





If you battled the best you could,





If you played your part in the world of men,





Why, the Critic will call it good. 





Death comes with a crawl, or comes with a pounce,





And whether he’s slow or spry,





It isn’t the fact that you’re dead that counts,





But only how did you die?







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Protect Your Secret From Complacency

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






As you read this quote by Aesop, reflect on a baby step you can take to protect your secret – your special character and values, from getting swallowed up by complacency. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Liberating Empathy

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Compassion, EQ, family, happiness, Health Care, hope, Learnings that Matter, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Relationships, societal, Spiritual, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Can empathy be developed or Liberated? As you watch this video, reflect on this questions. Consider how important empathy is for leadership success. Is there an ideal amount of empathy? Could empathy be too much or two little? What steps would you take to liberate the ideal amount of empathy from within you for your leadership success. 













The following process can be used to create a learning experience for your team using this video.





Step 1 – A moderator (an expert from your company) to open the session, explaining the importance of the session.





Step 2 – Show the video – let participants absorb, take notes and write down questions to ask later





Step 3 – Have a Q&A session and a discussion





Step 4 – Agree on actions to be taken based on the video





Step 5 – Participants to say how the session was useful.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Value of Love

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, happiness, hope, Life, Love, societal, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credits: Pinterest.com





What does this picture arouse inside you? Reflect on how blessed we are. Reflect on what we can do to give a little bit from the much we have to make a difference. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Something Inside So Strong – To Make You Rise Above the Odds …

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn energy, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, purpose, Songs for Growth, Spiritual, Struggles, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Something Inside So Strong – Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Choir





As you listen to this powerful song, let the strength inside you awaken and fight against the odds so that your bright light will blind the darkness. 













Lyrics 





The higher you build your barriers
The taller I become
The further you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me, you can decide
To turn your face away
No matter ’cause there’sSomething inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Though you’re doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone, oh no
There’s something inside so strong
Oh, something inside so strongThe more you refuse to hear my voice (ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh)
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho (ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh)
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time, you squander wealth that’s mine
My light will shine so brightly it will blind you
Because there’sSomething inside so strong, strong
I know that I can make it
Though…







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Pandemic and Societal Aspect of Purposefulness

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Ecology, family, Health Care, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Purpose Quest, societal, Spiritual, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credits: shethe people.tv





In the last 7 blog posts in the ‘purpose quest series’, we explored how the pandemic impacted six important pillars for purposeful living; spiritual, mental, emotional, relational, physical (health), financial and environmental. Let’s explore the eight  pillar, the societal aspect in this blog post. As in the past seven blog posts let me attempt to describe my personal experience during the pandemic. 





With lockdowns being imposed, offices closed, and people starting to work from home, my clients either took the assigned transformational work online or postponed them. This gave me the illusion that there will be a lot of free time. Since I was in Dhaka, while engaging with the foreign ministry and the high commission to arrange repatriation flights, I joined my friend I was staying with to distribute dry rations to people who were financially affected due to lockdowns. In addition I arranged some help for some relatives and friends who were looking for financial assistance and guidance.





To help with the psychological challenges faced by many, my team in Dhaka helped me to produce some videos with mental tips to deal with challenges and  anxiety releasing meditation. While using social media to get these to people who needed it we started conducting free webinars to help people deal with the present and gear up for the future. After returning to Sri Lanka I had the opportunity to join my team to conduct psychological first aid for the medical staff of the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), the command center fighting the pandemic in Sri Lanka. 





I believe most of the above opportunities were provided to me to help be purposeful during the pandemic. My purpose to inspire others to live a purposeful life and these opportunities helped me share the idea of ‘purposefulness’ and show how it can help to make sense of the pandemic, deal with anxiety & stress and adjust their way of life to respond positively. While all these were related to giving, my time without any financial benefit, I enjoyed the happiness of giving, learning & building relationships in the process. I feel purposeful.  







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
What’s your dream?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Communications, Conflict, hope, Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, Life, Personal Excellence, purpose, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

I Have a Dream” is a public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, in which he called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech was a defining moment of the civil rights movement and among the most iconic speeches in American history. 





(please note – Under the applicable copyright laws, the speech will remain under copyright in the United States until 70 years after King’s death, through 2038.)













As you listen to one of the greatest speeches ever delivered reflect on your dream for a better world and a baby step you can take to start the journey of making that dream come true.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Living Life To The Fullest as the Captain of Your Life

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Compassion, happiness, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Soul Nourishing Poems, Spiritual, Struggles, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

O Captain Mu Captain – Walt Whitman 





Reflect on the deeper meaning of this poem as you listen to it and read the lyrics below. Who is the captain of your life? How will you live to be able to be happy on your last day feeling that that you lived it all.













O Captain, my Captain our fearful trip is done
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people are exulting,  
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring  
But O heart! heart! heart!  
O the bleeding drops of red,  
Where on the deck my Captain lies,  
Fallen cold and dead.  





O Captain, my Captain (x3)





O Captain, my Captain rise up and hear the bells  
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills
For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding  
For you they call (the swaying mass)
their eager faces turning (their eager faces turning)
Here Captain! dear father!  
This arm beneath your head  
It is some dream that on the deck, 
You’ve fallen cold and dead. Dead.





My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still  
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will  
The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done  
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with this object won
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!  
But I, with mournful tread,  
Walk the deck my Captain lies,  
Fallen cold and dead. Fallen cold and dead.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Simple and Unassuming life for a better body and mind.

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, happiness, Health Care, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Relationships, Releasing, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Eric Berne’s – Transactional Analysis presented. 










As you read this quote by Sir Albert Einstein, reflect on a baby step you can take to go towards a simple and unassuming manner of life that has potential to have a positive impact on body and mind. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Getting Your ‘Adult’ into the driving seat of your life.

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Communications, Conflict, family, happiness, Leadership, Learnings that Matter, Personal Excellence, Relationships, Team Excellence, transactional analysis, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Eric Berne’s – Transactional Analysis presented. 





This Video is created to learn the secrets of understanding Self and others. Eric Berne is the founder of the Transactional Analysis. In this video you will learn about Ego States and Transactions that will help you improve communications and relationships.













The following process can be used to create a learning experience for your team using this video.





Step 1 – A moderator (an expert from your company) to open the session, explaining the importance of the session.





Step 2 – Show the video – let participants absorb, take notes and write down questions to ask later





Step 3 – Have a Q&A session and a discussion





Step 4 – Agree on actions to be taken based on the video





Step 5 – Participants to say how the session was useful.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Interfaith harmony – Childlike Joy

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn happiness, hope, Leadership, Life, Pictures that Speaks, Spiritual, Sri Lanka, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			






The Cardinal of the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka and a Senior Buddhist monk during a moment that capture interfaith harmony and childlike joy. The picture speaks for itself. Let’s hope and pray that this type of authentic harmony and joy spreads far and wide to heal this world. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
It’s a Possibility, with Your Heart the Hunter, to find Peace and Happiness

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Conflict, Ecology, happiness, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, purpose, Songs for Growth, Spiritual, Struggles, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

It’s a possibility – John Denver 













As you listen to this beautiful song reflect on how you can use your heart, the hunter to fight off hatred and help find peace and happiness in your little world, thereby creating ripples to make this world a better place.





Lyrics 





For all of the times that you’ve wondered why
The world turned out this way
And all of the times that you’ve asked yourself
About the games that people play.





About the politics of hunger
And the politics of need,
How the politics of power
Seem to be the politics of greed.





For all of the times that you’ve struggled in an effort
To work your way back up stream,
And all of the times you’ve held on to it,
When most of us had lost the dream.





And for all of the ones who have walked with you,
By your side or way back home,
Maybe much more than any of us
You know that no one is really alone.





Because the heart is still a hunter,
It’s like a beacon in the night.
Though the heart is just a lover,
It’s never afraid to fight.





We are fighting for more than survival,
We are…







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Pandemic and the Environment

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Ecology, Environment, Health Care, Knowing, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, purpose, Purpose Quest, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credit: business west.co.uk





In the last 6 blog posts in the ‘purpose quest series’, we explored how the pandemic impacted six important pillars for purposeful living; spiritual, mental, emotional, relational, health and money. Let’s explore the seventh  pillar, the ecological aspect in this blog post. As in the past six blog posts let me attempt to describe my personal experience during the pandemic. 





With lockdowns being imposed, offices closed, and people starting to work from home vehicles movement reduced drastically. With airports restricting flights there were less flights in the sky. With demand for non-essential products reducing factories were operating at lower capacity reducing environmental damage. All this made the air cleaner, water cleaner, skies bluer and grass greener. 





Unlike in the earlier six aspects, there was not much for me to do, the earth was healing itself. I had to only participate by using the freshness for my well being and helping others to use this Knowladge to make sense of the positive aspects of the pandemic. Therefore I used the webinars I was conducting and conversations I was having with people to show these benefits and to use this opportunity to adjust lifestyles, so that even after the pandemic, we live in a manner that is beneficial to the environment.





With life coming back to normal in Sri Lanka, I am concerned to see that the amount vehicles on the road have gone back to pre-pandemic levels. Our airways are still clean as the flights are still restricted, but with the envisaged opening up of the skies end of this month, the air pollution levels are likely to start increasing again. Work from home is getting lesser, and in person activities are increasing. I am attempting to keep at least half of my learning experience delivered online even when things are back to normal. I need the other half to interact with people as we cant be totally devoid of human interactions to help them in their learning, growth and transformation. 





So lets continue to communicate and role model to help people at least adjust to a mid-way level between total lockdowns and total free movement with their free will so that we can bring this planet to liveable conditions. If not nature will hit back with a bigger pandemic and will keep doing it more regularly to save the planet.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
What’s Your True North?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Communications, family, happiness, hope, Inspirational Speechs, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, Relationships, Spiritual, Struggles, success, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Anne Hathaway Keynote Address International Women’s Day 2017













As you listen to this speech, reflect on how it speaks to your heart and mind. Is it about the rags to riches story? Is it about love? Is it about parenting? Is it about gender equality? Is it about speaking out on behalf of your concerns? Is it it about your sense of direction? Is it something else? Reflect on what matters to you and the baby steps you would take to make a difference. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Wake Up and Convert Dreams in to Reality

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Communications, energy, happiness, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, Soul Nourishing Poems, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Wake Up – A Poem by Jesse Oliver













As you listen to this powerful poem, let the words touch you deep inside so that you can wake up and turn your dreams in to reality. Reflect on the good thoughts you dream of, that goes to sleep when you wake up. Think of a baby step to take for you to live those dreams. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Romance or Riches?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Ecology, Environment, family, happiness, hope, Knowing, Life, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






Reflection Guide





As you read on these words of wisdom by Theodore Roosevelt, reflect on the natural wonders, history and the romance of our heritage. Reflect on steps you can take to save these wonders from the selfish and the greedy. 


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Earning the right to be humbly proud

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn happiness, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, purpose, Songs for Growth, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

As you watch this video and listen to this beautiful song, Proud – By Heather Small (see lyrics below), reflect on the title things you do everything that makes you feel humbly proud about being in this world for a bigger purpose, to make this world a better place. 













Lyrics





I look into the window of my mind
Reflections of the fears I know I’ve left behind
I step out of the ordinary, I can feel my soul ascending
I am on my way, can’t stop me now and you can do the same, yeahWhat have you done today to make you feel proud?
It’s never too late to try
What have you done today to make you feel proud?You could be so many people
If you make that break for freedom
What have you done today to make you feel proud?Still so many answers I don’t know
(There are so many answers)
Realize that to question is how we grow
(To question is to grow)So I step out of the ordinary
I can feel my soul ascending
I am on my way, can’t stop me now
You can do the same, yeahWhat have you done today to make you feel proud?
It’s never too late to try
What…







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Pandemic & Money

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Cash Flow, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, purpose, Purpose Quest, Releasing, Spiritual, Struggles, Team Excellence, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Image Credits: gfmag.com





In the last 5 blog posts in the ‘purpose quest series’, we explored how the pandemic impacted five important pillars for purposeful living; spiritual, mental, emotional, relational and health. Let’s explore the sixth pillar, the financial aspect in this blog post. The financial pillar consist of four aspects earnings, expenses, savings and investments. As in the past five blog posts let me describe my personal experience during the pandemic. 





With the announcement of the pandemic, cases starting to rise and lockdowns getting implemented, many of my clients decided to postpone sessions that were scheduled. In addition some of the industries my clients were in, specially the apparel industry was having orders getting cancelled, resulting in impending reduction in their cashflows. In the past too, some companies first eliminated people development budgets when such challenges arose. All this made me realise that I need to focus on planning my finances. Continue reading “The Pandemic & Money” →

			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Do You Find Passion or Does Passion Find You?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, EQ, Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, Personal Excellence, purpose, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Inspirational speeches and interviews by Jeff Bezos













As you listen to this compilation of speeches and interviews of Jeff Bezos reflect on what makes you passionate and what you can you do to allow passion find me?







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Finding Values to Live Life

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn happiness, hope, Life, Personal Excellence, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






Reflection Guide





Reflect on the values you were living by when you were happy and peaceful and what were the values in your life when you were unhappy and disturbed. What were the values you were living by when you made good decisions easily and what were your values when the decisions were wrong and difficult to make. Listing these can help you pick a few values for you to shape your life around. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Fail Big – Leave Big

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Inspirational Speechs, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, Struggles, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			









As you listen to this amazing speech, reflect on what will you leave behind (not what you will take with you, because we don’t) and how will you gain what you will leave. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Quest for the Truth

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Life, Love, Personal Excellence, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






Reflection Guide





Reflect on what you are seeking? Is it Love? Is so how True is that Love? Is it Money? If so how Truthfully can you earn it? Is it Fame? If so how do you know you truly deserve it? In all these three situation the question of Truth comes up. Therefore is it Truth that we ultimately seek? 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Pandemic and Relationships

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Communications, EQ, family, Leadership, Personal Excellence, psychology, Purpose Quest, Relationships, Spiritual, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Image Credits: Americaamplified.org



When lockdowns happened in mid-march I got standard in Dhaka without flights to return home. Therefore my experience is quite different to those who were with families and had to spend a lot of time with them while working or not working from home. However since returning home about 2 months ago I have been largely working from home that gives me the experience to reflect on that reality as well.



Being away from home with the uncertainty of when I will return home increased the concern towards me by mother, wife and daughters at home as well as my siblings and other relatives from various part of the world. The 10 weeks in Dhaka resulted in more communications with all my close family and other relatives more than ever before. Conversations among relatives resulted in each one inquiring from others about how they are affected by the pandemic, the impact on livelihood etc. Therefore there was concerned among each other for each other, much more than usual. Continue reading “Pandemic and Relationships” →

			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Gems of Wisdom

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn happiness, hope, Leadership, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, Spiritual, success, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			

Compilation of speeches by A P J Abdul Kalam













Listen to the wisdom of A. P. J Abdul Kalam in a compilation of his speeches and interviews. Reflect on the message that matters most to you. The variety of insights are so diverse and insightful, each person listening to this will takeaway gems of wisdom most relevant to you. Reflect on a change in attitudes, behaviours and actions that you will make as a next step. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
How to Manifest Your Destiny

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn happiness, hope, Life, Personal Excellence, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, success, Values2 Comments			

					


		

			






Reflection Guide





As your read Mahathma Gandhi’s quote above reflect on the destiny you intend manifesting and think in the reverse order. What values will help create that destiny? What Habit will help live those values? What actions will help create those habits? What words will lead you to those actions. What thoughts are needed to use those words? and what beliefs will help generate those thoughts? 





Thereafter develop the required belief through reading, writing, affirmations, conversations, and teaching etc. As you keep moving forward towards destiny by converting beliefs to thoughts to, words, to actions, to habits to values to your destiny, reflect if this process has changed your sense of destiny. If so work backwards from any point in the process and start again.   





While you may or may not find and/or reach your destiny in this life time, being in this process, holding it lightly, experiencing the messiness, savouring journey will give you contentment, happiness, and peace. You will feel that your life is purposeful, giving you meaning. 










You might be searching for destiny your entire life, but being in this process, holding it lightly, moving forward and backwards will help you to live and happy, content, peaceful life. A Purposeful life. 


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Interfaith Respect for a Better Word

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Conference learnings, happiness, hope, Leadership, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, Pictures that Speaks, purpose, Relationships, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






A picture from the interfaith conference in Sri Lanka a few years ago. The respect for each other and their views points gives hope to make this world a better place. Please reflect on a baby step you can take to create interfaith harmony in your own community, be it the neighbourhood, workplace, school, social organisation or any other organisation you are associated with. 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Master of My Fate, Captain of my Soul.

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, purpose, Releasing, Soul Nourishing Poems, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Invictus – The Poem



As you listen to the words of this poem, closed eyed or watching the visuals of the visit of the South African Rugby team to Nelson Mandela’s  prison (scene from the movie Invictus), reflect on your biggest struggle and how that helped you to realise that you are the master of your fate and the captain of your soul.






			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Did the Pandemic Stimulate you Intellectually?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Ecology, EQ, Health Care, IQ, Knowing, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Purpose Quest, Spiritual, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			

When the world started changing due to the pandemic it had a big impact on my focus on my intellectual development process. This blog post tells my story and I hope this will help you to reflect on how the pandemic affected your intellectual development.





Image Credit: medspace.com





Let’s start with the question, what is the meaning of intellectual? While different people may make sense of the word ‘intellectual’ in different ways, based on their thinking, to me intellectual is the quality of my thinking and understanding aspects I am concerned with.  The stronger my intellectuality becomes,  I tend to understand aspects I am concerned with and the related complexities in a deeper manner. The shift in priorities brought about by the pandemics resulted in some interesting changes to my intellectual development processes. 




 Continue reading “Did the Pandemic Stimulate you Intellectually?” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Do You Love Leading?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, EQ, hope, Leadership, Love, purpose, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Empathy & Perspective, an inspirational Speech By Simon Sinek


Everyone can be a leader. Everyone don’t want to be a leader. Everyone don’t have to be a leader. You need to love your people to be a leader.  As you listen to this inspirational speech, reflect on if you love being a leader. If not why not? What steps would you do?




Inspirational Speeches


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
What Inspires You?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Communications, family, happiness, hope, Leadership, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Relationships, Soul Nourishing Poems, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
A collection of Ranjan De Silva’s favourite poems recited by him with short introductions and debrief of each poem at an online Rotary meeting between Rotary Club of Colombo Reconnections Sri Lanka and Rotary Club of Nanganallaur, India.


As you listen to these poems reflect on what inspire you. Is it the selection, a particular poem, the themes, the words, the way they are recited, relevance to you, your mindset or anything else?




The poems include;


    

  • If you think you can you can
    • 

  • Little Cloud
    • 

  • Risk
    • 

  • Rose
    • 

  • Cookie thief
    • 

  • Love is separateness
    • 

  • Plea of a graceful lady
    • 

  • Determination of an extra-ordinary man
    • 

  • Forgive me when I whine
    • 

  • Anyway
    • 



Soul Nourishing Poems


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
World’s Greatest from A Little Bit of Hope

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn hope, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, purpose, Songs for Growth, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
World’s Greatest – R.Kelly




As you listen to the beautiful lyrics of this song, with the energising music in the background and motivating visuals, reflect on you being the world’s greatest in the purposeful arena you are born to win. Start taking baby steps with that little bit of hope you have to energise you and see, hear & feel the journey getting more meaningful and exciting as you smell and taste those little wins that grow.


Songs for Growth


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Find Purpose & Let Money Find You

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Cash Flow, Health Care, Life, purpose, Purpose Quest, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Relationships & moneyAfter having arrived in Dhaka with a packed schedule of coaching, facilitation and consulting assignments for multiple clients on the 14th of March, I suddenly found myself having to make some decisions on how best to respond to the universe who decided that we need to change the way we operate.


With some companies postponing  the scheduled sessions, free time was opening up. What do I do with this time? It takes time to sell the time and right now most of my clients were fire fighting, figuring out what they need to do. Therefore I decided to be available to them.  Continue reading “Find Purpose & Let Money Find You” →


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Beautiful Paradox

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Communications, hope, Leadership, learning, Personal Excellence, Pictures the Speak, psychology, purpose, Team Excellence, Values1 Comment			

					


		

			
coaching pic


This is one of my favourite pictures that depicts the essence of learning. This is an executive coaching process underway for senior executives of the John Keells Holdings at the Cinnamon Citadel Hotel in Kandy, the Hill Capital of Sri Lanka. A peer coaching process where peers who participate in the coaching process, becomes a part of the coaching team together with the coach.


The beanbags and the dress code signify the informality of the process, the blend of colours signifies the diversity of the aspirations, hopes, concerns, issues, methods and solutions of the participants. The disorderly nature of the white chairs in the background with bags thrown around signifies the messiness that needs to be experienced in the learning and growth process. The flip charts signifies the formality of the work to be done. The sweets, water, snacks and tea provided shows the care taken to ensure the comfort of the participants.  The intense listening and focus of the participants shows the seriousness, rigorous and the respect show to each other and the process.


Overall a beautiful blend of the soft and the hard, the messiness and the orderliness, the informality and formality, the soft and the hard touching hearts and minds for real, purposeful transformation.


Pictures that speak


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Paying it Forward

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, hope, Leadership, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Songs for Growth, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Because you Loved me – song of gratitude by Celine Dion


As you listen to this song, reflect on those who helped you and are helping you grow to you your fullest potential. What kind of sacrifices did they make and are making? These could be your family, life partner, friends, teachers, colleagues.  Is this person who helped you, your own self? Feel the emotions you experience as you listen to the song, each time with a different person in your life in mind, including yourself. Could you give a name to these actions ? Reflect on what you would do to pay forward?




Songs for Growth


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Difference You Can Make

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, hope, Life, Love, Personal Excellence, psychology, Relationships, Soul Nourishing Poems, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Only You can make the difference – a poem by Leo Buscaglia 



https://www.youtube.com/embed/4Tth7BSQgt8



As you listen to this short poem given to Leo Buscaglia by a Vietnamese Girl, think of the times you made a difference by understanding someone else and not reacting, even if the other person was responsible for it. Remember the pleasant surprise in the other person and the bond you created with each other. Or remember someone else who did this to you. My plea to you, make a promise to yourself to understand and respond with love, immediately it happens. The time is Now!




			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Fathers Gift

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, hope, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
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Reflection Guide:


As we celebrate fathers day, let’s reflect on the greatest gift your father gave you.


My loving father taught me that no one is perfect and that I can be happy if I accept myself for who I am, improve areas that can be improved and give of my best to the world, starting from my own little world, my family, my team, my community and so on.


I love and respect my dad; Stephen Richard Francis De Silva, who left us 16 years ago to enjoy eternal happiness.


Quotes for Reflection


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
How Was Your Soul Tested?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, Health Care, Knowing, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Relationships, Spiritual, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			
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Reflection guideline


Reflect on what you saw, heard and felt during the past few months of the pandemic. How was it different to what you experienced before. Did something from within urge you to reach out, help out, ask for help, leave your ego aside, reprioritise what was important in life. This reflection could help you understand how your soul was tested during these challenging times.


Quotes for Reflection


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Say It Like Obama

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Communications, Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, Learnings that Matter, Personal Excellence, purpose, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Learn how to deliver an inspiring speech from one of the best in the trade; Barack Obama.




By the time Barack Obama had finished speaking at the 2004 DNC, Democrats across the USA knew they had seen the future of their party. How does he do it?


Learn the elements of his speech from political speech experts featured in this episode including: Michael A. Cohen Author, Live From The Campaign Trail, Mario Cuomo Former Governor of New York, Robert Lehrman Chief Speechwriter for Vice President Gore and Professor of Speechwriting American University, Charlton McIlwain Professor of Communication, New York University, Jeff Shesol Speechwriter for President Clinton and Founding Partner, West Wing Writers.


The following process can be used to create a learning experience for your team using this video.


 Continue reading “Say It Like Obama” →


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
The Healing Experience

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Environment, family, Health Care, Knowing, Life, Personal Excellence, Pictures that Speaks, psychology, purpose, Relationships, Spiritual, Values, World affairsLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Blue Waters 2 June 2020


Gardens of the Blue Waters resort, usually filled with holidaying tourist, quietly healing.


The lone healer, in the boiling hazmat suit symbolic of the amazing medical team, setting up Covid tests for another batch of quarantined returnees from overseas.


I watch from the balcony of my little ashram (hotel room) in anticipation for my turn to clear the final hurdle, before I am cleared to return home to my family.


Although missing the dip in the sea, soaking in the pool and relaxing on the lawn, experiencing the cool breeze, sounds of the ocean and view of the sea, beach, pool and the gardens is a confirmation I am back in my motherland.


Yes! I am back, it’s not a dream anymore.


Full of love for the universes and all its living beings, I feel so thankful and hopeful.


Pictures that speak


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Life is Worth Living

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn family, Leadership, learning, Life, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Songs for Growth, Spiritual, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Life is worth Living – an inspirational song by Justin Bieber


As you listen to the song, reflect on the how you feel when you look at the long road ahead in your life, on who who gave you direction and help when you were confused, and on the mistakes you made and how you responded. Moving on reflect on how would you respond to such situations and how would you help others who are on the journey of life.




Songs for Growth


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Abundance Magnet

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Cash Flow, Leadership, Personal Excellence, purpose, Releasing, Spiritual, Team Excellence, Values, World affairs1 Comment			

					


		

			
Abundance Magnet
Image Credits: Brainhackers.com


Last week I started this series,’Purpose Quest’ to illustrate with narratives of how we search for purpose. We explored the question, Are we Searching for Purpose or is Purpose Searching for us?   Today let me focus on one aspect of the story that I wrote last week, attracting abundance.





Once the various social distancing norms were coming in to place and clients started postponing the various sessions that were planned, I was concerned about its impact on cash flow for my organisation and family. Therefore  while starting to engage with government authorities in getting myself home and ensuring that my family back home in Sri Lanka was safe and comfortable, I started reflecting on the situation related to my practice.

While there was some anxiety with regard to the situation, I was able to release such emotions using Releasing Techniques that I was learning and teaching since October last year. I will write about how releasing helped in an upcoming post. After having released the anxiety, my reflections reminded me of three principles and beliefs that could help; ‘God does not give challenges we cannot handle’, ‘focus on the process and let the outcome take care of itself’ (the 3rd principle of Mastery we teach during our Mastery of Self – NLP learning sessions) and ‘give and you shall receive’.

So what steps did I take and how did it turnout?

 Continue reading “Abundance Magnet” →
			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Little Things to Big Things

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Spiritual, Team Excellence, Values1 Comment			

					


		

			
If You Want to Change the World, Start Off by Making Your Bed – William McRaven, US Navy Admiral


One little task leads to another and to another and to the big achievements. One little person can be the strongest link. One little hope leads to big hopes. One little bit of compassion leads to unlimited love.


As you listen to this inspirational speech, reflect on the little waves you can create now that will create ripples leading to waves that makes this world a better place.




Inspirational Speeches


			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Danger or Oppportunity?

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Ecology, family, Health Care, Leadership, learning, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Quoates for Reflection, Relationships, Spiritual, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






Reflection Guide





Yes the pandemic has many dangers in the medical, economic, social and psychological fronts. While recognising and reflecting on it, do reflect on the opportunities you have already recognised and yet to recognise. 





 







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Unlocking the Power of Mind

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Business, Communications, family, Health Care, Leadership, Learnings that Matter, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Sales, Spiritual, Team Excellence, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			






An introduction to Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and simple steps on how to unlock the power of mind and unleash our potential. A powerful and thought provoking 27 minute presentation by Ranjan De Silva at the ‘Unleashing Your DNA’ seminar at Zayed University Convention Center, Dubai, UAE. 













The following process can be used to create a learning experience for your team using this video.





Step 1 – A moderator (an expert from your company) to open the session, explaining the importance of the session.





Step 2 – Show the video – let participants absorb, take notes and write down questions to ask later





Step 3 – Have a Q&A session and a discussion





Step 4 – Agree on actions to be taken based on the video





Step 5 – Participants to say how the session was useful.





Please send a message if you would like to receive a white paper that can help in your learning process.





I hope this learning process was useful in providing online learning to your team during the current down time so that they would be kept positive, motivated and sharp so that all of you would be geared to perform with excellence during the crisis and after.







			
					

	




			
				


			

		

			
Pressure Reveals the True You

						

				On  By Dr Ranjan De SilvaIn Communications, family, Inspirational Speechs, Leadership, Personal Excellence, psychology, purpose, Spiritual, ValuesLeave a comment			

					


		

			
Pressure Reveals the True You 


Watch Michelle Obama’s speech about her husbands Presidency and reflect on the pressure situations you had been in and how it help reveal your true nature and core values.




Inspirational Speeches