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देश की राजधानी के नथूनों में आज फिर बारूद की गंध घुस गई। तमाम जिंदगियां मौत की भेंट चढ़ गईं और तमाम अस्पतालों में जिंदगी और मौत के बीच झूल रही हैं। आतंक का कहर न तो इस देश के लिए नया है और न इसके दिल-दिल्ली के लिए। इसलिए यकीन मानिए दिल्ली फिर उठ खड़ी होगी पूरी ताकत के साथ क्योंकि इस देश के आम आदमी के भीतर न तो हौसले की कमी है और न जिजीविषा की। लेकिन दुर्भाग्य यह है कि यहां हुकूमतें बेहद कमजोर हैं और इस कदर लाचार कि हर आतंकी घटना के बाद उनके पास गाल बजाने के अलावा और कुछ करने को नहीं रहता। प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह और उनके बहादुर गृहमंत्री शिवराज पाटिल की पिछले बम धमाकों के बाद आई प्रतिक्रियाओं को उठाकर देख लीजिए उनमें शब्द तक नहीं बदलते और दिल्ली दरबार ने इसबार भी अपनी इसी परम्परा को जारी रखा है। यूं वैसे भी सरकारें इकबाल से चला करती हैं न कि शब्दों की जुगाली से और इस सरकार के पास शायद जो चीज सबसे कम है वो है उसका इकबाल।
दिल्ली में आतंक के इस तांडव के पीछे सिमी के संगठन इंडियन मुजाहिदीन का नाम सामने है। लेकिन कुछ हफ्तों पीछे नजर दौड़ाइए तो मनमोहन सरकार के एक ताकतवर मंत्री और सरकार के लोकसभा में अपने समर्थन से प्राणदान देने वाले एक दल के सर्वेसर्वा चिल्ला-चिल्लाकर इसी सिमी को देशभक्ति का प्रमाणपत्र बांट रहे थे। क्या दशकों से आतंक से जूझ रहे किसी भी मुल्क के लिए इससे ज्यादा कोई और शर्मनाक और लिजलिजी बात हो सकती है? आतंक के खिलाफ जूझते हुए कुर्बानी देने वालों के प्रति इससे बड़ा और मजाक क्या हो सकता है? दिल्ली की यह घटना भी ऐसे सियासतदानों का जहन नहीं बदल पाएगी क्योंकि उनके लिए देश वोटों के कारोबार के बाद आता है। ऐसे में क्या फर्क पड़ता है कि मरने वालों की संख्या कितनी है और जख्मी हुए लोगों का आर्तनाद कितना हृदयविदारक है। सच पूछिये तो अपने देश की सरकारें अभी तक आतंकवाद से लड़ना ही नहीं सीख पाई हैं। कदम-कदम पर सियासत इस लड़ाई के हाथ-पांव बांधती नजर आती है और हद तो यह कि राजनीति के अंत:पुर में आतंक से लड़ने वाले कानूनों को भी मजहबी चश्मों से देखे जाने की रवायत अभी तक जारी है। ऐसे में सेना हो, अर्धसैनिक बल हों, या फिर पुलिस। वे दहशतगर्दों से निर्णायक लड़ाई कैसे और किस- तरह लड़ सकते हैं।
...इस बात पर ज्यादा स्यापा करने की जरूरत नहीं कि कौन सा पड़ोसी मुल्क हमारे यहां आतंकवाद फैलाने के लिए जिम्मेवार है। सवाल तो यह है कि क्या हम उस पड़ोसी से दो-टूक ढंग से बात भी करने को तैयार हैं? क्या हम कोई ऐसी लक्ष्मणरेखा भी खींचने को तैयार हैं कि उसका फिर उल्लंघन कोई न करे, हम उसके खिलाफ एक निर्णायक कदम उठाएं? शायद नहीं। संसद भवन पर जब आतंकी हमला हुआ था तब हमने सत्ता के सर्वोच्च शिखर से यह सुना था कि अब इसबार आर-पार का फैसला होगा। तत्कालीन सत्ता के यह शब्द भी हमेशा की तरह निष्प्राण साबित हुए थे।
... आतंकवाद की चुनौतियां जटिल से जटिलतर हो रही हैं, आतंकवादी हाईटेक हो रहे हैं और दुनिया के कुछ मुल्क उनके लिए अपने खजाने का मुंह खोलकर बैठे हुए हैं। लेकिन हम इस बड़ी चुनौती से लचर और अल्प प्रशिक्षित पुलिसबल और बार-बार असफल हो जाने वाली खुफिया व्यवस्था के जरिये दो-दो हाथ करने का जतन कर रहे हैं। राज्यों में पुलिस का तंत्र सत्ताधारियों की सेवाटहल करते-करते अपनी धार खो चुका है और स्थानीय स्तर पर खुफिया जाल समन्वय और प्रशिक्षण के आभाव में निस्तेज हो चला है। संघीय जांच एजंसी की मांग तमाम राज्यों को मंजूर नहीं हो रही है और आतंक के खिलाफ कड़े कानूनों की कुछ राज्यों की मांग केंद्र को नहीं सुहा रही है। ऐसे में आतंकवाद के खिलाफ लड़ाई हो भी तो कैसे?

हम शर्मिंदा हैं कि हम एक ऐसे व्यवसाय से जुड़े हैं, जिसका काम लोगों में वैज्ञानिक चेतना और शिक्षा के प्रचार -प्रसार की जगह भय और अंधविश्वास का बढ़ावा देना हो गया है। मीडिया की इसी नासमझी ने मध्यप्रदेश के सारंगपुर जिले के आशारेता गांव की निवासी 16 वर्र्षीया छाया की जान ले ली। पृथ्वी की उत्पत्ति समझने के लिए किए जा रहे एक वैज्ञानिक प्रयोग को मीडिया ने इस तरह प्रचारित किया कि इस बच्ची ने मानसिक संतुलन खो दिया और दुनिया खत्म होने के डर से जहर खाकर आत्महत्या कर ली। हो सकता है कि पुलिस इस मामले में निजी टीवी चैनलों पर आत्महत्या के लिए प्रेरित करने का मुकदमा दर्ज करे और हो सकता है कि न भी करे। गोल मानी जानेवाली ये दुनिया भले ही खत्म हो न हो, पर मीडिया ने छाया की दुनिया खत्म कर दी। मीडिया को लेकर लंबे समय से हम बहसों में उलझे हैं कि यह मिशन है या प्रोफेशन। लेकिन लगता है कि यह निर्लज्ज पूंजीवाद का ऐसा अंग बन गया है, जो लोगों को अनपढ़ बनाए रखने और उनकी एकता को तोड़ने के हथियार के रूप में इस्तेमाल हो रहा है। पहले तोहमत समाचार पत्रों पर ही लगाई जाती थी, पर निजी टीवी चैनलों पर प्रसारित होने वाले समाचारों (अगर उन्हें समाचार कहा जा सकता है, तो) ने तो स्वरूप को और भी बिगाड़ दिया है। आम आदमी की जिंदगी की जो बात पहले कभी-कभार हो जाती थी, वह अब बिल्कुल ही बंद हो गई है। जिंदा लोगों की बात करने में इन्हें परहेज है, पर भूत-प्रेतों पर घंटों एक ही कार्यक्रम चलता रहता है। हो सकता है कि भूख से मरा कोई व्यक्ति भूत बनने के बाद ही अपनी व्यथा इन समाचार चैनलों पर सुना सके, जिंदा रहते उसकी बात सुनने को तो कोई तैयार नहीं है।

Different people going through the same experiences in life will each learn different lessons.
For instance, my dad was grown when the stock market crashed in 1929 and he made it through the dust bowl years as a farmer. I guess the main lesson he learned from all this can be summed up in one word: frugality. He always taught me to be saving with my money, not to go into debt for anything that wasn't an absolute necessity and to do without until you could afford to pay cash for what you wanted. I know of others just a little younger than myself whose parents were in their teens or pre-teens during the depression who had to go to work after school and in the summer, or maybe miss some school altogether, in order to help their parents get by. After these young people reached adulthood, got a good job and had families of their own, I have overheard many of them make the statement: "My child is not going to have to work like I did when I was growing up. Whatever he wants, he is going to get, he's not going to have to do without like I did." Where did he think that he learned the work ethic to be able to hold a job?
He learned it from that work in his youth. I'm not advocating that young people should have to go to work to help the family, but I do think that they should have responsibilities around home and be given regular chores to do to earn an allowance, thus teaching them that they do not get their money gratis. Dad always taught me that hard work, and learning to do without, will temper a person. To understand what this means consider a steel plowshare. One that has not been tempered is brittle and will break easily whenever it encounters a rock or root in the ground. However, a piece of well tempered steel is strong and hard and will be able to push the rock aside or to cut right through the root. The same thing holds true for a person. A person who has been tempered to hard work in his youth and taught what it is like to have to do without some things will be better prepared to meet the challenges of adulthood than someone who has never had to work and has been given everything he wanted. The youth need to be taught responsibility and be held accountable for their actions. This cannot be done at school, it has to

The scene is typical. Two people in different areas of the country each start a business. They both have the same qualifications, the same training and each one selects an optimum location.
Within a year one of them is raking in the money hand over fist and the other one has filed for bankruptcy. What happened here? What went so wrong that two people with the same qualifications and an even start could wind up in such different circumstances? It can usually be summed up in one word : Personality! So, what is personality and can it be defined? Personally, I think there are three traits of character that define a persons personality. They are:
#1. How a person percieves himself. This can also be listed as ego. Are you all wrapped up in yourself to the point of ignoring others, or do you put the wellfare of others first?
#2. Your outlook on life in general. Are you always complaining because nothing is going your way, or do you see a setback as a challenge and say, "Here is a chance for me to make improvements!"
#3. How you percieve others. Do you see other people around you as someone you can use to get what you want, or do you see them as fellow travelers, who, while working together, can accomplish more than each individual working seperately?
The following list, "The 7 Top Daily Acknowledgements," if practiced daily could change your outlook on life and also the way others see you.
Top 7 Daily Acknowledgements
#1. Acknowledge your maker. Be thankful that you have been given another day to pursue your dreams and the health and energy to do so.
#2. Acknowledge your spouse with a hug, a kiss and a "I love you." The one whom you have promised to love, honor and protect. The one who has been supportive of you in all your endeavers.
#3. Acknowledge your children with a word of encouragement that they may grow up to become strong individuals. They are the ones you have brought forth to carry on after you have completed your race.
#4. Acknowledge your neighbor with a friendly greeting and a kind word. As neighbors, we are here to watch over and protect each other that no harm may come to neither.
#5. Acknowledge your employees/co-workers with a friendly greeting and words of support. They are the ones that keep your business running smoothly.
#6. Acknowledge your suppliers with a thank you for promptness when paying your bill. Without their prompt delivery of supplies your employees could not keep your business running smoothly.
#7. And last, but certainly not least, acknowledge your customers with a friendly greeting and a big "Thank you." They are the ones that pay your bills and without them you would not need the employees or suppliers.

What does success mean to you? Some people equate success with amassing hugh sums of money while others measure success by achieving simple goals they have set for their lives. So, what goals have you set for your life? Have you achieved those goals, and if not, do you have a time frame set up in which time you intend to reach those goals? Those goals do not have to be anything drastic. Setting simple, achievable goals is similiar to building a stairway to your ultimate lifes goal.. Each time you reach a new goal, you reach a new plateau on your way to fulfilling your lifes dream, and each new goal you reach gives you an incentive to set new goals. Let me give an example of what I mean in achieving your small goals in life. A few years after I got out of school a buddy of mine, whom I had gone to school with, came to work at nights at the store where I was working. He was moonlighting from his main job. One night we were taking a break together and the conversation got around to cars. "Do you remember the old song 'Hot Rod Lincoln' that they played so much at the roller rink when we were freshmen?" he asked. "Sure," I replied. "I think they wore out two or three of those records that year." "Well, after hearing that song so much I made up my mind that I was going to be driving a lincoln myself someday, and last year I finally got my lincoln." It didn't matter to him that the car was five years old. He had finally gotten his dream car. So reach out and see how many of those little dreams you can fulfill. Maybe it's getting that dream car you've always wanted, as my buddy did, or maybe taking that dream vacation to the Bahamas. Whatever it is, go ahead and do it, and then dream some bigger dreams and see how long it takes to fulfill them.

Establishing maximum value for your price is never easy. In today's volatile economy, it's even more of a challenge. For most companies, costs are increasing, yet the ability to pass them along to the customer is fraught with numerous roadblocks. The customer's response to a price increase is rarely positive, with the usual line of objections that go along with it. In addition, there are the concerns that a competitor's price may undercut yours or that the customer may choose to go down a different path instead of buying from you at all. As big as these issues are, they pale in comparison to the number one roadblock to maximizing your price point: the confidence of the salesperson.The main reason why companies do not capitalize on their potential revenue is because their salespeople do not have the confidence to ask for and receive the highest price point. If a salesperson is secure in what they are selling and in knowing how the customer will benefit from their products/services, then they will be confident in asking for and getting the desired price point. The problem is that many times the salesperson lacks confidence in at least one of these areas, resulting in their inability to make their sales quota.To rectify this problem, it's important to examine how the salesperson first developed a lack of confidence in their ability to maximize their price points. Generally, it stems from a sale they perceived to be lost because their price had been too high. On the surface, their assumption probably appeared to be correct. However, in reality, it just seemed that way because the right price-value relationship had not been established. If the salesperson had executed a proper sales strategy that allowed both himself and the customer to see the product's/service's true value, this could have been avoided. It needs to be communicated that in a B to B environment, the benefits are to both the buyer and the business they're buying it for. In a B to C environment, the benefits are to both the buyer and to the person(s) who will actually use the product or service. When the salesperson and the customer understand this, it can help erase the uncertainty that the price may pose.Let me give you two quick examples. If a person works for a mega-global company and is buying widgets, he'd have no problem spending a little on them if he knew he was buying them from a reputable company that has experience selling to other mega-global companies. In essence, the customer is looking for confidence and is willing to pay for it. In a B to C situation, because the customer doesn't want to look like a fool for their purchase, they want the salesperson to provide them with enough emotional benefit to allow them to convey to others that they made a great decision. In both situations, an inexperienced salesperson is going to lose the sale if they don't take the time to use questions that encourage the customer to fully express their needs. In general, new salespeople often lose the sale shortly after they've stated their price. Thus, it's only natural for them to believe that the price was the determining factor. However, when digging below the surface, the price was not what prevented them from closing the deal. Rather, they lost the sale because they didn't ask enough questions to fully establish the needs of the customer.Top-performing salespeople ask questions that allow the customer to elaborate on their needs and then demonstrate their listening skills by asking appropriate open questions and probing deeper with great follow-up questions. They use the information that they learn to better explain how their product or service can be beneficial to the customer. In my 25 plus years of selling, I've learned that the customer's real needs, hurts, and wants don't often surface until you're demonstrated genuine interest in what their thoughts and goals are. Ironically, this means that you can throw out their initial comments, as it is rarely the need they are looking to fill. If you expect to base your price-value relationship on what you first hear, you'll never come close to achieving your maximum price point. In summary, today's economy is full of opportunities for top performing salespeople to ask really good questions that get customers talking. This allows both the customer and the salesperson to see, feel, and understand what their true needs are. When the salesperson can experience this across multiple customers, they will begin to develop the assurance they need to be able to confidently convey the maximum price point their company expects them to receive. Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit http://www.TheSalesHunter.com.