On the Wings of Thought

On theWings of Thought

Vijay Eswaran

On the Wings of Thought

Copyright Š 2011 Vijay Eswaran

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except for the brief quotations embodied in critical reviews, books and articles.

Part of this book may appear in www.rythm-house.com

FIRST EDITION 2011 Published in 2011 by: RYTHM House Publishing Sdn. Bhd. Block C, PJ8, No.23, Jalan Barat, Section 8, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

ISBN 978-967-10474-1-5

Editorial Consultant: Sheila Singam Editors: Ameena Siddiqi, Iris Lee Design: Lawrence Kok

Printed at:

Atlas Cetak (M) Sdn. Bhd. Wisma Atlas, No 2, Persiaran Industri, Bandar Sri Damansara, 52200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

PRINTED IN MALAYSIA First Printing, 2011

Foreword I have read In the Sphere of Silence by Vijay Eswaran which was published in 2005 and the subsequent In the Thinking Zone and 18 Stepping Stones and I must say I am biased towards his philosophy of thought.

He has the knack of enacting simple, yet succinct phrases that often put your mind into a spin as you read and re-read the words he has written and realise the powerful messages contained therein.

In many instances, his words often ignite a storm of thinking that only abates after you go through an internal dialogue to grasp the rudiments of the message, culminating with the realisation that within its simplicity is a profoundness that can only make your life more meaningful if adopted.

Having declared that I am biased towards his work, his personal request for me to write a Foreword to his fourth book, On the Wings of Thought, has made my task all the more challenging. This is because, during my years as a journalist, I always held objectivity and impartiality to be an important characteristic for all those practising the profession. Having been trained that one’s personal opinion does not count in true journalism, I have ever been loath to write in favour of or against any subject.

But then again, a Foreword does not require one to be entirely impartial. And this Foreword is not a commentary of the man, but his work, and is simply my own assessment of it.

From his first book, his writing continues to be calm and contemplative, connecting with the reader’s spirit and taking him or her on a journey of self-discovery.

Time and again, Vijay Eswaran has proven that he is a man who takes excellence very seriously indeed. And yet, while most of us struggle to achieve this state, he appears effortlessly to accomplish it in whatever field he chooses to play.

Whether in business, writing, oratory, philanthropy or motivating the millions of entrepreneurs he has nurtured directly or indirectly, he makes it a point to be excellent.

With On the Wings of Thought, he has added a new dimension to his manifold talents, that of photo-artist.

For there can be no better way to describe him after seeing the quality of his photography in this book. As a seasoned journalist who has travelled around the world and been called upon to take photographs in a variety of situations ranging from war zones to economic summits, I can safely say on behalf of many of us who tote a camera without ever knowing how to tap into its full potential, that Vijay Eswaran has once again entered into and conquered new territory.

Many of us take thousands of photographs in our lifetime. Most of them never see the light of day, for we either leave them on our hard drives or delete them to make space for more. Here is a man who is unabashed about sharing with us the world he sees through the lens of his camera as well as the meaningful reflections that well up from the font of wisdom within.

I trust you will gain as much pleasure as I have from seeing his works of art, both visual and literary, that are revealed in this book.

On the Wings of Thought is a clear testament to the fact that when discipline and passion are woven together, even in the deep of night – the time when Vijay Eswaran does his best work – a work of distinction can be conceived and brought to light.

Look, read, reflect and be refreshed.

K.P. Waran Managing Partner The Human Equation

Success

Pathway to

Dark and foreboding Often is the path, Yet for those who dare and choose to care, Verily, it opens with light that leads to success ever so bright.

In life, merely keeping up is moving backwards.

The art of surviving is about thinking just one step ahead.

The art of preparation is about being at least two steps ahead.

The art of success begins at three steps ahead.

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On the Wings of Thought • Vijay Eswaran

Success is result, glory is reaction.

Which is why success lasts a lifetime while glory is but for an instant.

Pathway to Success

5

Success is not so much about the paths you choose to take.

It is about the paths you choose to avoid.

This particular fiord is called Doubtful Sound in Fiordland, New Zealand.

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On the Wings of Thought • Vijay Eswaran

I reached there via bus and plane on a fine cold morning and was totally taken in by the sight of this barren inhospitable and chilling cold place.

One fundamental rule for success is to focus till you finish.

People simply do not remember you for what you start, only for what you finish.

Pathway to Success

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Let There BeLight

Every threshold crossed, Every battle fought, Leads us onto new horizons that beckon us through life’s seasons, Thence to emerge from the dark depth of ignorance into enlightening wisdom and ambient radiance.

I had to climb onto a rock overlooking the lions’ enclosure to capture this photo.

Wisdom lies in knowing to ask the right questions and not just in giving answers.

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On the Wings of Thought • Vijay Eswaran

This breathtaking sight was from a ridge by the roadside halfway up the hills of Mauritius.

The five-step mantra of all the great masters:

I have mastered nothing.

I am still a student in all things.

There is so much more to learn.

Let me begin again.

Today is all I have.

Let There Be Light

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