Change is the only constant. Well said or should I say extremely apt. Seasons change, situations change, people change. Everyone and everything in life is susceptible to changes.
Keeping this mind, I would go ahead and say, the definition of things also change in time. After all its a very subjective thing and it depends on who was defining what and when. Lemme give you an example. What is success? To different people it means different things. To the same person, it might mean different things at different points in time. While you were growing up, you defined success as a getting a job that payed you well to sponsor all your leisure activities. Your independence was the measure of your success.
One day, you were all grown up. You got the job you desired. Money danced in your hands. Things that at one point in time were luxury became a part of daily life - expensive restaurants, fancy coffee shops, shop-till-you-drop days, movies and everything that you desired when you had limited resources. But in the "grown up" eyes, were you successful then? No way!
At this point, you decided that you need to be the best at your craft or atleast be perceived as the best in your craft. Most of you didn't know what you were doing and why you were doing it. But you still persisted, coz you wanted more resources for even bigger dreams! You wanted shiny toys and a concrete jungle to call your own. Years passed. You eventually got them, even though most of you were burdened under unimaginable debts. But as long as this was obsolete to the world, you had no reason to bother. You could now flash what seemed rightfully yours! Now the thought of redefining success hits you again.
This time you being successful is a measure of your goodness/ compatibility with your spouse. Enter children and the definition of success is up-ed by a notch! So I hope none of you missed the constantly changing trend. There are things that you wish for. More often than not, when you get them, you don't have the same value for them as you had while you were wishing for them.
But would you call this success? As I said earlier, this is merely subjective. But if you think this chain reaction of need for material things is success, you probably need to delve deep into the topic; if not now, then probably in due course of time.
Success has been associated with phrases like "survival of the fittest". This gets me thinking. Couple of weeks back, I was at one of the holy places in south India - a lake, where people "supposedly" got rid of their sins (not to mention dirtying the water beyond explanation!). This lake was flooded with fish. The devotees would throw bread crumbs at the fish, which would jump on each other to get the largest bite of food. Now, isn't this what all of us eventually end up doing? Jump over each other to get the easy things that are being handed over than explore the opportunities for finding our own food? So what makes us different from those fish? As I see it, barring the physical form, we exhibit the exact same tendencies. So how are we superior?
Recently, at the Robin Sharma leadership session, I bumped into this gentleman who was running from pillar to post in order to establish a strong network of people, to expand his business. Even though I thought it was extremely hilarious in the beginning, he had the last laugh! While the rest of us were pulled back from approaching Mr Sharma due to various reasons, from hesitation to laziness, this gentleman managed to get an autograph/photograph/ personal time with Mr Sharma and the CEO of the group! He might have made an ass of himself in front of the crowd, but he did get what he wanted. Now what was more important? What he wanted or how he looked in front people? So there you go. You can be successful even though people think otherwise!
This would be my definition of success. The minute you stop wondering and giving importance to the trash talk going on around you and devote yourself to your goal, you have achieved success. You may not be successful in the first attempt, but as a person you have not failed. It's ok to fail others but never fail yourself. No one can be a better you than you!
P.S : Dreams of today are reality of tomorrow provided you have faith.
Keeping this mind, I would go ahead and say, the definition of things also change in time. After all its a very subjective thing and it depends on who was defining what and when. Lemme give you an example. What is success? To different people it means different things. To the same person, it might mean different things at different points in time. While you were growing up, you defined success as a getting a job that payed you well to sponsor all your leisure activities. Your independence was the measure of your success.
One day, you were all grown up. You got the job you desired. Money danced in your hands. Things that at one point in time were luxury became a part of daily life - expensive restaurants, fancy coffee shops, shop-till-you-drop days, movies and everything that you desired when you had limited resources. But in the "grown up" eyes, were you successful then? No way!
At this point, you decided that you need to be the best at your craft or atleast be perceived as the best in your craft. Most of you didn't know what you were doing and why you were doing it. But you still persisted, coz you wanted more resources for even bigger dreams! You wanted shiny toys and a concrete jungle to call your own. Years passed. You eventually got them, even though most of you were burdened under unimaginable debts. But as long as this was obsolete to the world, you had no reason to bother. You could now flash what seemed rightfully yours! Now the thought of redefining success hits you again.
This time you being successful is a measure of your goodness/ compatibility with your spouse. Enter children and the definition of success is up-ed by a notch! So I hope none of you missed the constantly changing trend. There are things that you wish for. More often than not, when you get them, you don't have the same value for them as you had while you were wishing for them.
But would you call this success? As I said earlier, this is merely subjective. But if you think this chain reaction of need for material things is success, you probably need to delve deep into the topic; if not now, then probably in due course of time.
Success has been associated with phrases like "survival of the fittest". This gets me thinking. Couple of weeks back, I was at one of the holy places in south India - a lake, where people "supposedly" got rid of their sins (not to mention dirtying the water beyond explanation!). This lake was flooded with fish. The devotees would throw bread crumbs at the fish, which would jump on each other to get the largest bite of food. Now, isn't this what all of us eventually end up doing? Jump over each other to get the easy things that are being handed over than explore the opportunities for finding our own food? So what makes us different from those fish? As I see it, barring the physical form, we exhibit the exact same tendencies. So how are we superior?
Recently, at the Robin Sharma leadership session, I bumped into this gentleman who was running from pillar to post in order to establish a strong network of people, to expand his business. Even though I thought it was extremely hilarious in the beginning, he had the last laugh! While the rest of us were pulled back from approaching Mr Sharma due to various reasons, from hesitation to laziness, this gentleman managed to get an autograph/photograph/ personal time with Mr Sharma and the CEO of the group! He might have made an ass of himself in front of the crowd, but he did get what he wanted. Now what was more important? What he wanted or how he looked in front people? So there you go. You can be successful even though people think otherwise!
This would be my definition of success. The minute you stop wondering and giving importance to the trash talk going on around you and devote yourself to your goal, you have achieved success. You may not be successful in the first attempt, but as a person you have not failed. It's ok to fail others but never fail yourself. No one can be a better you than you!
P.S : Dreams of today are reality of tomorrow provided you have faith.
