Showing posts with label Trends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trends. Show all posts

Saturday, May 7, 2011

SHAPE


To give SHAPE to anything be it a concrete structure like a sculptor or a building or a painting or an abstract concept like planning for the future, visualizing the coming trends or ideating the focus is on discovering the hidden, creating something new and allowing something to sprout and grow. What is unique about giving SHAPE to anything is the evolution that we actively or passively participate in which allows us to See How Artistic Plans Emerge.  It is possible that we may not entirely approve of or appreciate the end product but we cannot deny that it is the outcome of a plan that has borne fruit even if the fruits are sour or unpalatable for us.

Fashion trends epitomize this contrast between artistic talents that have maniacal following and equally vocal detractors who denounce the trends. The important lesson here is that shape is what emerges and the outcome does not have to appeal to all. The contrast between the old world poetry with its emphasis’ on rhyme, meter and beat is a far cry from the modern poetry that has shock value abstractness and disharmony as the backbone on which verses emerge.  Modern abstract paintings too follow a similar trend with interpretations holding the key to unraveling the shape that one can extrapolate from the realms of creativity. 

However, the shape of things to come have a major bearing on the habits, the following, the trends and lifestyle that people will succumb too. The wide range of mobile phones epitomizes this need for style to percolate into every niche that emerges in the market space. The bizarre fashion scene, the opulent life style of the rich and the famous, the emergence of new cults and the changing communication styles be it proliferation of the SMS language or the bastardisation of the original language with a mix of other regional languages are pointers to the SHAPE of things to come. 

This does not mean that we cannot have our own control over the shape of things that matter in our life. To begin with, we can work on giving shape to our hopes, aspirations and dreams. Goal setting is the key to this. In the beginning our ideas would be hazy, utopian, seem to be pipe dreams and occasional seem to be of demonic proportions. Other times we fail to let our imagination soar, get stuck in our little cocoons of limited aspirations and fear of failure often puts the brakes on allowing ourselves to think big and pursue our passions. Only if you can visualize it can you hope to attain it. Goal setting will provide the initial momentum to get going. However to give concrete shape to ones aspirations and dreams requires Hard work, Persistence and Self belief. Hard work will fuel the momentum, persistence will provide the encouragement no matter what the odds and self belief measures the progress that brings one closer to ones goals. Reaching the goal also helps SHAPE your character, your destiny and your dreams and then you can See How Artistic Plans Emerge to color up your life.

Action Points:

  1. Revisit your childhood and attempt to do the following
  • Make a paper boat
  • Make an aero plane with paper
  • Spin a top by looping the string around it and chucking the top
  • Draw a scenery
  • Get some clay and attempt your own clay models
  1. Work on giving shape to the following
  • Your financial goals
  • Your career goals
  • Your family goals
  • Your health related goals
  • Your leisure goals
  • Your passion related goals

Power Act - from http://www.actspot.com/ is focused on -
Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.
You are also invited to visit our DAILY inspirational and motivational blog http://www.actspot.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

STYLE

It is the Smart Trends Yelling Loud Everyday that catches the eye and opens the wallets that fuels the STYLE euphoria. In a world driven by marketing gimmicks, trendy lifestyle and keeping up with the Jones’s culture, STYLE is the generic term used to describe the trends and the cool dude tag. If you think that style is the prerogative of the young think again, for it is the older generation that actively promotes styles for business ends; and the world is lapping it up.

The style mania gets its thrust from the big money spends of the big brands when they get endorsements done by the movie stars, sporting icons and the occasional celebrity from another discipline. The message is simply ‘you need to own this if you want to be seen and recognized in society’. It could be a hairstyle, the latest technological gizmo, being present at premiers or the so called exclusive events or just splurging on the so called designer clothes, accessories or event events like a birthday bash or wedding. The key driver of style is the high cost attached which acts as an entry barrier and preserves the exclusivity and puts a premium on ownership.

The most vocal critics of STYLE are the conservative older population who argue that most style is just cult following with little or no functional enhancement or utility for the price paid. They view style as an illegitimate offspring of the unholy alliance of corporate sharks and marketing quacks. The more vociferous opponents old the fanatical view that style is exploitation of the ignorant, through the subtle manipulation, using a mix of technology, psychology and sociology. Their most touted proof pertains to the relative short term life span of most styles be it the hippy culture, the bell bottom pants or the Marlboro Man.

The style fanatics on the contrary point out to the numerous advances made because of style. The move from desktop computers to colorful laptops, the wide range of mobile telephones using an array of technology, the changes in the formats of games from test cricket played in all white’s to the quick fix T20 format played in flood lights and in colored clothes show the range of styles that have borne testimony to the growing fan following. The proponents of style point out that style leads to innovation not just in the presentation but also through extensive use of technology, has a large mass appeal and will be improvised upon periodically depending on the market demands.

Style is here to stay; it will dominate the years to come for no one can ignore the Smart Trends Yelling Loud Everyday
 

Action Points:
  1. What are the Style trends that you find hard to identify with? Is it because they are too loud/ or is it because you feel awkward attempting that style / or the style violates your sensibilities?
  2. How often are you tempted to buy a new technology gadget because it is the in thing? Do you think the features of the new technology can be effective harnessed by you or are you just paying the premium for being called trendy? What are the most functional and useful styles that are in the marketplace today that is useful and efficient? Eg. Solar powered gadgets, fuel saving small cars etc.

 Power Act - from http://www.actspot.com/  is focused on -
 Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.
 
You are also invited to visit our DAILY inspirational and motivational blog http://www.actspot.wordpress.com/