Top 10 Lessons we can learn from Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam

Be active. Till his last breath, Dr Kalam was active and making his mark. He always said that we should be active and take our responsibility. Because if we don't we are surrendering our fate to others. Always keep working , no matter what!

Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam encouraged everyone to dream. But he also said, that dreams shouldn't be something you get in your sleep but dreams should be the one which don't allow you to sleep. Always keep dreaming but make sure that you transform your dreams to thoughts which then transform into actions. Dr. Kalam was a dreamer and he worked very hard to make his dreams a reality and the rest is history.

He once said that FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning. So, if we fail, it isn't the end. You learn from each mistake you make. So the aim should be on learning from your mistakes and not repeating them. So, failing should be a stepping stone in life and failures should not be the END as END stands for Efforts Never Die. Put in all your efforts and nobody can stop you from succeeding.

He said that we shouldn't be shaken by the difficulties in the path of our goals. They are there so that they can help you define your success. Difficulties are necessary so that you enjoy your success. They are the adversity in your smooth life and they help you think apart and find a way to deal with them. So, embrace your problems and find a way on how you can leave them behind so that you can succeed.

Attitude is the key. But have the right attitude. Think different than the others. Be like the eagle, who doesn't look for shelter when it rains like the other birds but unlike them finds a way ahead from above the clouds. So always have the right attitude because your attitude will take you ahead and make you the black horse in the team of horses.

There has to be a focus on your jobs. If you lose the focus then nobody can help you. Your focus will help you always. We have seen how much focus this great man had in life. So much so, that he was focused on contributing as much as he could. Until he was conscious, he was doing his good.

Dr. Kalam always said that we should lead by example. A leader should have the skills of not just facing a problem but also defeating it. He should know how to work with integrity by involving everyone in the team and not just be the only player of the game. He should be the team player and bring out the best in everyone .

He said that we should think out of the box but while we think out of the box we should also know how this thinking can be transformed to reality. We should have the capacity to convince others about our ideas and its practicality. He quoted in his book Ignited Minds, "Thinking is the capital, Enterprise is the way and Hard Work is the solution." So, thinking is definitely the beginning but hard work backed up by thinking is the solution.

Dr Kalam once said that we should be like the flower who generously distributes perfume and honey. After it's work is done , it falls away quietly. He said we should be like these flowers which are unassuming despite their qualities. Do your part, don't expect anything in return. He lived upto what he preached. He kept giving his perfume and honey in terms of knowledge and experience , just like the flower and when his part was done, he silently just fell away. Indeed a man of his words!

He quoted, " When learning is purposeful, creativity blossoms. When creativity blossoms, thinking emanates. When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit. When knowledge is fully lit, economy flourishes." So never stop learning, because when you learn your mind stretches to another level and the more you learn this level expands and it never goes back to its original dimension.