SASTISFACTION LIES IN THE EFFORT, NOT IN THE ATTAINMENT
History often speaks of great conquerors, warriors, their huge victories which have been marked as notable events to identify a period. Their valour and success stories are glorified and made hyperbole. But there are few exceptions as some are remembered for the losses they suffered.
Mahmud of Ghazni, who invaded India between 999 C.E to 1025 C.E, carried out expeditions and invasions to plunder the wealth in India. However, he was not successful in all of these attempts; in fact he had multiple failed attempts than successful ones. Yet he managed to gain recognition from the then Caliph at Baghdad.
As each of us have different interpretations and understanding, my perception of Mahmud of Ghazni is that he was not afraid of failures. He neither expanded his empire nor consolidated his ruling areas, as most of his successors did in India. But his name is often used metaphorically, for comparing one who is trying the same thing repeatedly even after many failures. His plunders from India were abundant that he could even exempt his subjects from taxation.
Thus his constant attempts towards his goal is more praiseworthy than his victory itself.
To learn from the Nature
Nature is bountiful not only in providing resources for human sustenance but also pleases our eyes and heart with her beauty and serenity. We learn subtle lessons everyday from our Mother Nature.
Today’s river beds were rugged mountains in the past, that were flattened out by the action of continuous water flow. All the landforms are a result of the incessant geomorphological process.
A bird’s beautiful nest is what we see. But begins the scene, there runs a whole set of step by step processes carried out by the bird as it painstakingly gathers the raw materials, reinforces it with support, builds the nest layer after layer, ties it all together, makes it ready for its young ones to occupy. It also strives to keep the nest intact through the hot Sun, strong winds and heavy rains.
The main lesson from a normal day of a bird’s life is that it doesn’t stop its Efforts. Even when destruction strikes, it rebuilds from scratch and goes through the entire process, without fretting as we humans do.
Like the little drops of water make the mighty ocean, the little efforts make our results.
Process is greater than the product
When we want something really bad, say to get fit and lose weight, we cannot expect results right after first the day of working out. To get in shape is not an overnight process, rather it involves persistence, consistence, dedication and enjoyment of the pain that tags along. Even after we achieve our goal weight, we don’t tend to stop working out, because we fall in love with the process more the end result.
Every goal we set requires the same relentless attitude. Therefore, Efforts can only catapult one to success.
Humility before Honour
What if Thomas Alva Edison had quit in his penultimate attempt to light a bulb? Or what if being unaccepted and criticised by all fellow scientists had stopped Chandrashekhar S (a physicist) from putting forward his theory about the possibility of existence of black holes. The field of Science would have lost the contributions of great inventors.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, having been rejected by the Indian Air Force, talks about how he ended up becoming the supreme commanders of the defence forces of India. Had he been dejected with the rejection and didn’t move on, with further efforts in alternative options, such honour wouldn’t have dawned.
Rome wasn’t built in a day
We certainly are beyond the age when we planted a seed and expected it to sprout the very next day. Most of us would have experienced the gratification out of our genuine undertakings than the outcome.
Time and chance happens to all. So it is in our hands to not lose heart in trying. Failures may be the stepping stones to success, but our constant endeavour is the keystone of success.
Everything unfolds in its own pace, we cannot rush it, even if we keep waiting all day, a pupa metamorphoses into butterfly according to its capability and not by our nudging. So we need to not only put in our best into something, but also be patient in reaching the goal.
“Arise, Awake, Stop not, till the goal is reached”,says Swami Vivekananda.
We can only control what is within our limits and while setting targets, we should only plan our part as in what should be done and how it should be done. Only if we fall in love with the process, we will be able to respect the success we have achieved.
Self satisfaction is hence the first and foremost requirement in awaiting favourable results. The pivotal elements that owe to our appeasement are the 3Ds-Diligence, Determination and Dedication. Perseverance, despite downfalls will assuredly lead to self-contentment, which is the ultimate desire of all Humanity.
Let’s Keep Going. We are indeed unstoppable and invincible.
