Brooklyn Bridge: A Story of Determination

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

“We told them so.”

“Crazy men and their crazy dreams.”

“It`s foolish to chase wild visions.”

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife’s arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Source: http://inspiration101.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/brooklyn-bridge-a-story-of-determination/

A Teacher’s Story

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.

But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn’t play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X’s and then putting a big “F” at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child’s past records and she put Teddy’s off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy’s first grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners. He is a joy to be around.”

His second grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.”

His third grade teacher wrote, “His mother’s death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn’t show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren’t taken.”

Teddy’s fourth grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is withdrawn and doesn’t show much interest in school. He doesn’t have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.”

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy’s. His present which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.

Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children’s laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her “teacher’s pets.”

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he’d stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor’s degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer – the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

The story doesn’t end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he’d met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.”

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”

Source: http://inspiration101.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/my-teacher-named-mrs-thompson/

Jessica Cox - First Pilot With No Arms

"Winners don't do different things.They do things differently"
-SHIV KHERA

This words are absolutely right about Jessica cox is a 25-year-old woman with no arms has become the first pilot ever to fly a plane using only her feet. Jessica cox was born without arms.But she fly over the world using her feet.

Jessica believes that by combining creativity, persistence, and fearlessness, nothing is impossible..She is a psychology graduate can write ,use computers,brush her hair and talk on to her phone simply using her feet.She is from USA is also a former dancer and double black belt in Te-Kwon-Do.

Cox prove it Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

Jessica's Life Story :

Jessica's father William Cox is a retierd band teacher and mother is Inez Cox , took her to various doctors. There was no answer. why jessica born with out arms.so Cox learned to do with her feet what other children learn to do with their hands.When she was little his mother put toys in her feets.she play's with the toys using her feets.Her mother Inez cox inspiring her very much.She motivating her daughter very much.This help's to jessica to fly over the world in the feature.Jessica's success story is also the story of her successful pearents William Cox and Inez cox.
Jessica started wearing prostheses when she was two.She stopped using them as much after the seventh grade.By the time she was 3, Cox was enrolled in gymnastics classes. By the time she was 6 she was swimming in the backyard pool and tapping out rhythms in dance class. Today, she cooks, eats, washes dishes, curls her own hair, and writes and types with her feet. She also likes to swim and ice skate.

Jessica cox-First Pilot flys with out arms
The plane she is flying is called an Ercoupe and it is one of the few airplanes to be made and certified without pedals. Without rudder pedals Jessica is free to use her feet as hands.

She took three years instead of the usual six months to complete her lightweight aircraft licence, had three flying instructors and practiced 89 hours of flying.

Jessica Cox-As a Motivational Speaker
As a motivational speaker Jessica says to the world Creativity+Persistence+fearlessness=Nothing is impossible.She proved this equation using her Life story.More about visit http://www.rightfooted.com/.

Pictures of Jessica Cox

Source: http://jessica-cox.blogspot.com/

Rags to riches in Japan : Star Power of Rajni

When G Subramaniyan left for Japan 18 years ago, he was penniless. Earlier this month, when he came back to India, he had success written all over him. He runs two successful restaurants in Japan, owns properties worth crores of rupees there and is now planning an Indian foray of his culinary adventure. And believe it or not, Subramaniyan owes his success to Rajnikanth, the Tamil superstar. Born in a lower middle class family in Marakkanam with six siblings, graduating in Maths itself was an ordeal. All he could do then was to join as a bearer in Hotel Savera, Chennai, to support his family. Seeing young Subramaniyan’s enthusiasm, the hotel offered to sponsor him to study catering technology.

An Indian restaurant in Japan offered him a job. However, when he applied for a visa, he was in for a shock. ‘‘They rejected my visa saying that I did not have enough experience to work in Japan.’’ His prospective employers, however, stood by him and offered to sponsor him on a student visa. Subramaniyan also managed to secure admission to a diploma course in mechanical engineering. He could hardly afford to pay even his fare to Japan but his employers offered to foot the bill and he boarded the flight ‘‘without even a penny.’’ Still, life was not all that easy, as his employers sponsored his studies only so that he could stay on. ‘‘It was very difficult, both studying and working. I slept only for six hours a day. I was ready to work. All I wanted was to make some money.’’ His flair in Tamil fetched him a teaching job at Kyoto University. ‘‘That was when everything changed. I started teaching Tamil to the Japanese. I was also able to make some money.’’

The turning point came when Rajni-starrer ‘Muthu’ became a big hit in Japan and many Japanese wanted to learn Tamil. By then, he had also found a job as a chef in Hotel Ashoka. Soon, Subramaniam got close to many Rajnikanth fans and helped many to set up fan clubs. As there were no Tamil restaurants to be seen anywhere, Subramaniyan felt it was high time he himself started one. ‘‘I invested Rs 1.5 crore in two restaurants in Kyoto and Osaka. It was a huge risk as I had invested all my savings.’’ Initially nobody came, but he hit upon an idea to draw the crowds: playing Rajni movies. ‘‘As the crowd flowed in, I sold my dosas and vadas to them.’’ It was a big hit. ‘‘Now vadas and chutney are the favourite food of the Japanese and I make good money. I owe it all to Rajni and his fans.’’ Not just that, he also offers Bharathnatyam and other Indian cultural events every week to draw Japanese crowd to experience Tamil flavour. ‘‘People are crazy about Rajni and enjoy the food too.’’ Now, Subramaniyan earns not less than Rs 12 lakh a day. He is now ready to move ahead in life. Soon, he would be starting three Japanese specialty restaurants in Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore at a cost of Rs 12 crore. Why Japanese cuisine? ‘‘Because there are not many Japanese restaurants here.’’ He might dig gold here too. Looking to venture where nobody else has always been Subramaniyan’s way.

Source: http://howtomakeacrore.blogspot.com/

Manish Wazalwar: From washing cars to owning a fleet of 33

As an 11-year-old boy from a family struggling to make ends meet, Manish Wazalwar's day used to begin with washing others' cars. The son of an autorickshaw driver, he might not have even imagined in his wildest dreams about what he would achieve one day. Today, Manish (28) is the owner of 33 cars and a driving school. His story is the quintessential rags-to-riches tale.

"The 34th is on its way in January," he says, reclining in a massive leather chair in his plush Shivaji Nagar office. He claims that he owns Central India's biggest car driving school. Manish's father Govind Wazalwar used to earn Rs 20-30 every day as an autorickshaw driver. "He bought an auto in 1969," Manish says.

In 1974, Govind took an examination to become an RTO inspector. But he didn't get selected and opened a driving school for autorickshaws. The school started in 1976 and, though it was only a modest success, ran for 11 years, during which Govind bought a Fiat and an Ambassador as supplementary to the autorickshaw driving school. "But due to financial crisis, we had to shut the shop in 1987. It was a very bad time," Manish recalls.

Cut to 1991. Manish started low-paying jobs - going door-to-door to sell disinfectants, working in a grocery store, selling chalks and slate pencils. "I used to buy chalks in wholesale and sell them directly to schools and colleges, to earn a rupee or two extra," he says. To save money, Manish used to walk 18 km to work daily or borrow somebody's bicycle. But in his heart, he had a dream and he worked for it with determination.

"I always thought of owning a driving school one day," he says. Rupee after rupee, Manish scrimped and saved. In 1996, he gave Rs 30,000 to his father for the financial help he had got over the years from his saving of Rs 53,000. "I took a loan of Rs 20,000 and bought my first car — a used Maruti 800 — for Rs 48,000," he remembers.

From such a humble beginning, he started a driving school that now has seven branches across Nagpur. Manish, now wants to start 100 branches all over Maharashtra. "I make sure people have no complaints," he says. He personally attends to the upkeep of his immense fleet of cars, ranging from Maruti 800 to Hyundai Accent, looking after their engine maintenance and even their polish. "I know the car engines inside out. Every nut and bolt is like my friend."

Source:http://www.4to40.com/legends/print.asp?p=Manish_Wazalwar&c=Businessman

Prasoon Mukherjee: A story of NRI

At 42, non-resident Indian (NRI) restaurateur Prasoon Mukherjee has everything that money can buy.

A booming business spanning six countries, a jet set lifestyle and unbridled fame that sees him rub shoulders with presidents and prime ministers – Mukherjee's life is an inspiring Indian success story.

But the yarns of this rags-to-riches story were spun more than two decades ago in the by-lanes of a Central Kolkata neighbourhood where a strapping young boy, fresh out of high school, had dared to dream big.

The dream has taken Mukherjee to many continents, seen him franchise across Asia about two-dozen casual dining restaurants of the US-based group Outback Steakhouse and liaison between governments for bilateral deals.

"But the beginning was not at all easy," reminisces Mukherjee, who started by doing a course in hotel management from a premier institute here in 1981.

"It was difficult for my father to provide the Rs 1,600 fee every quarter for the four-year hotel management course. But eventually I did go through with it," Mukherjee, who is now based in Indonesia, said.

Once out of the Institute of Hotel Management, he landed a job with the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), where he worked his way up from a trainee to be a food and beverages manager.

After 10 years in ITDC, he was sent by the company to the US for an advanced course in hotel management.

"On my return, I was to become the general manager in one of the ITDC hotels, but I was ignored by a partisan management," said the suave restaurateur, his eyes glimmering behind a pair of brown square monochrome spectacles as he recalled the discrimination.

But on hindsight, that single incident emerged as a blessing in disguise as a hurt Mukherjee then got in touch with an acquaintance in Singapore and he soon found himself working as a kitchen manager in a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur.

"Within six months, I was made the regional manager of the TGI Friday group's Malaysia operations and I had to supervise the functioning of 11 restaurants," said Mukherjee, taking calls on his mobile phone intermittently as he spoke.

In 1994, he became South East Asia's director (operation) of TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) and was posted in Singapore. But soon enough Mukherjee quit this cushy job and shifted base to Jakarta where he took up a job with one of Indonesia's biggest corporates – the $ 25 billion Salim Group, where he worked till 1999.

"In this company, apart from my salary I received annually received two per cent of the company's shares as part my whole package. In five years the share value was $ 11 million," he said.

Mukherjee, who by then had begun dreaming of starting off on his own, sold half of his shares and with a capital of $ 5.5 million left for Los Angeles, where he was first introduced to the Outback Steakhouse chain, arguably one of the world's best casual dinning restaurant groups.

Once at Outback Steakhouse, Mukherjee knew what he wanted to do in life. He had to become a restaurateur.

"It took me three gruelling days of parleys to convince the Outback management in Atlanta to let me open franchises in South Asia. First, they weren't interested in expanding their operations in Asia. Second, they weren't convinced about my financial health.

"In 2000 I opened my first Outback Steakhouse franchise in Singapore."

Since then, he has opened 21 other Outback restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta.

"But, my biggest regret is that my father, who was the only soul to encourage me to go abroad leaving the ITDC job, couldn't see me start my own business. He died a few days after I had signed the Outback deal, but I hadn't been able to inform him," said Mukherjee.

Mukherjee, the franchise holder for all of Asia barring Japan and Korea, is opening three more Outback restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Bangkok by December.

Outback Steakhouse's Asia operation, barring those in Japan and North and South Korea, reports a turnover of $ 20 million.

Mukherjee's India plans too are in the offing. Outback president Tim Ganon was in Delhi in January to "study" the market, and Mukherjee said the chain's founder was "happy with the situation". He, however, did not specify when Outback could open an outlet in India.

Besides his entrepreneurial skills, Mukherjee is active in the diplomatic circles and he is liaisoning between the Indonesian and Bangladesh governments on a road building deal.

He is in a delegation being led by Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri to Bangladesh on June 21 to formalise the deal that will see an 80-km road being built to connect Dhaka with Khulna.

Mukherjee, whose immediate aim in life is to "open 100 Outback Steakhouse outlets", said his mother, who died of diabetes, was the principal inspiration in his life in whose memory he wants to build a charity diabetes hospital in Kolkata.

Source: http://www.calcuttaglobalchat.net/invboard/index.php?showtopic=3091