Things are pretty simple out there. It is we who make them complicated. We do this to get attention from others. If we don’t have a different view nobody listens to us. So we come out with a made up theory and call it research and expertise. Simplicity works but it doesn’t command a good price tag and so we take sides of complexity. We are all engaged in this and so it has become a norm and works for everyone. With time it gets engraved in our systems and seems to be the right thing. It’s time we reverse the norm. It’s time we pursue simplicity again.
There is so much of talk that we should do something good for the world. To help people. To make a difference. To live a life for others. It comes to a point where it gets wired in your mind that if you are not contributing to the world, your life is not worth it. You will be labeled self centered. It will seem you are doing a crime. It robs you of your own preferences and freedom to do things you want to. Sometimes, to make this world a better place we make our own lives unworthy. We must know; we too are part of the world and when we take care of self, we contribute to the world.
I don’t want your advice all the time. Sometimes, I just want you to listen to me. I don’t want you to give me examples of people all the time. Sometimes, I want you to tell me what I am doing right. I don’t want you to solve my problem all the time. Sometimes, I just need your sensitivity toward my situation. I don’t want you to improve me all the time. Sometimes, I just want you to love me for who I am.
Nothing happens in a moment. We just miss to read the signals. We take things for granted. When the going is good, we ignore the subtle warnings. It applies to everything; health, work, relationships. If we keep correcting ourselves everything remains intact. When we ignore, the warnings take shape as reality. We think we got unlucky but in fact we are to blame ourselves. As they say; a stitch in time saves nine. Watch the signals.
Read history. Live in the present. Travel the world. Live in oblivion. Cry in people’s pain. Laugh at yourself. Eat less. Workout a little more. Throw your suit. Go on a drive. Sell your ego. Buy peace. Snooze the alarm. Sleep a little more. Cut your work. Be with family. Listen more. Speak a little less. Bunk a meeting. Meet a friend. Kill routine. Live a life.
Take a sabbatical from self promotion. If at all you have to talk about yourself, keep it subtle. When people underestimate you don’t correct them with words. Let your actions speak. When people misunderstand you and you don’t get an opportunity to clarify, let it pass and forget it. If you are worth the salt they will get your point later. It may so happen that you never get due credit for your work. Still, keep your head down keep doing the good work. Oblivion is a better place than solicited acknowledgement.
Some people get a head start. This could be because of their family background, right connects, education or luck. It helps them to move faster. This doesn’t mean others don’t stand a chance. Over long periods, hard work compounds faster than head start. So, if you think you will remain behind because you are late, you are wrong. You just need to keep going. One fine day you will suddenly find yourself leading the pack.
Whenever I had a personal goal in life, I deferred it. I accumulated all of them for later. God knows what kept me busy all these years. It seems I woke up late. Unfortunately, with the passage of time many of the aspirations will remain a wish. Even if I spend the rest of my life, I may fall short of achieving them. I made a bad trade-off. I am realising late. That’s why I called it a day and went aloof to the happenings in the world. Today, my priority is myself. Finally, I guess this is a good trade-off.
It requires will power. It requires determination. It requires patience. It requires self belief. When you choose your own journey, you will be warned by many. When you stop listening to them, you will be labeled as egoistic. When you stumble a bit, you will be laughed upon. When you still march ahead, they will call you crazy. When you discover a new path, they will see you in disbelief. When you don’t stop, they will start following.
Everyone is propogating to live a balanced life. It has become a fashion statement of the century. Sometimes I am confused about what balancing means. I think having a balance is a myth and unachievable. I guess, we must have priorities. The thing is; priority and balance run in opposite direction. When you have priorities you can’t have balance. Priority means living in extremes. For eg. you can’t have a perfect work life balance. You must prioritise one over the other. It seems outrageous but a truth.
