Success is addictive. In the beginning he did everything to get noticed. He tried every trick to get ahead. He played around with the rules. Conflict of interest was part of his everyday life. And soon he had the eyeballs on him. Along with it came self awareness. The price he paid for his success. The intentional mistakes he did. And the glitter of public attention faded away. He changed gears. Success too a back seat. Doing things the right way became the focus. Helping others took center stage. And he was happy, coz he could mend his ways before his time was over.
They taught him to be positive. They told him to be optimistic. And he became one. So much so that he forgot his real self. To be hurt or feel pain became a sin for him. He was a symbol of inspiration and hope for many. And he lived that way. Decades passed. Yet, he became hollow with time. Tired from within. The originality was lost. He was like a machine. He thought he could go on and on. He couldn’t. And then he cried. And then he caressed his wounds. And then he met his soul. They hugged each other. And he found himself.
It was drizzling. He was sitting in the balcony watching the greenary far away. It started raining heavily and made the sight far away hazy. He then focussed on the raindrops. And a thought emerged in his mind. A moment ago they belonged to the skies. A moment later they were seperated for ever. Still, they weren’t upset. Infact, they were happy to find their new home, the earth. They seemed to accept the change. And his focus shifted to his own life and his past. He suddenly found peace.
Some days are exciting. Some days are boring. Mostly I feel optimistic but at times, I am surrounded by pessimism. Sometimes, I look into the future with hope. Sometimes, I get lost going down the memory lane. I make no effort to change my mood. I let all this happen on its own. Nothing stays. No matter how I feel today, it changes tomorrow. I have realized, trying to change my mood forcibly makes no sense and it doesn’t last long. It is so peaceful to stay in the present. I haven’t surrendered to the circumstances. I have learnt to respect them.
Finally, I am able to do it. I am able to speak and suggest things which might impact me negatively but is good for people, industry and the world at large. I do not mind sharing what I know. I am also upfront in suggesting ideas which can actually throw me out of business but that’s what I think would be better for the industry. I do not defend my actions. Rather, I question them. It did affect me in the beginning. But it gave me a new thing. Freedom.
He was unknown. Even he thought why he existed. People used to laugh at him. He felt so miserable. Circumstances were tough and out of no choice he made it his profession. He became a comedian. People still laughed at him. Slowly and slowly he refined his craft and now people started laughing because of his skills. He became a sensation. His worst nightmares became the source of his unimaginable success. And one day he left everyone. And everyone cried.
It is such a paradox. We spend our entire life thinking about money and working hard for success. At the fag end of life, both these things have little relevance. At this point, people generally think about the little pleasures of life which didn’t even cost money and were not dependent on how successful we were. However, everything is important at different stages in life. If we do not make money or achieve success, we might consider ourselves a failure and develop inferiority complex. Flow with time. That’s the best way to live.
Upgrade yourself. There are enough takers of quality. In fact, at a premium. Improve your product. Improve your services. Get submerged into it. Give your soul into it. Sometimes it may happen quickly. Sometimes, it might be work in progress for life. It is still worth it. This is possible only if you like what you do. You will never get bored. Aim for the best. You will never regret even if you fall short of the outcome you expected. End of the day what will be matter is; you gave it your best shot.
The best way to stay motivated is to become a motivator. When you become a source of inspiration for others, you can’t afford to concede to pessimism. When people look upon you to get their dose of positivity, you automatically have to keep your energy high. So, lead the way for others and you will find your own way. Get so busy to lift others that you never fall down yourself. It is alright to depend on someone else to find your own spark. It is even better to set a spark in other people’s life.
There are people who do not get due credit or are underestimated for what they do in life. And they never ask for it. Actually, they never even think about it. For them, being recognised or being talked about has no relevance. They are so engrossed their whole life in their job that they hardly care about anything else. Mothers, Homemaker’s, caregivers, teachers, social workers, and many others. Let’s show some appreciation to these people. Sometimes, we feel nice not just by being appreciated but by clapping for someone else.
