It is fascinating how one picks up on the "signs" that abound around us...assuming that one is looking out for them in the first place. Is this what some call fate or destiny...even karma? Some may dismiss them as just a series of coincidences. It really doesn't matter what it is called. Two examples come to mind, just from this morning. There I was, having enjoyed my hot cup of coffee for the day...flipping channels on TV. Two programs were on at the same time that piqued my interest - "Satyameva Jayate" and the other a PBS show that had Wayne Dyer talking about his book "I can see clearly now".
Today's topic for Satyameva Jayate detailed the experiences of a few people who had risen above the worst kind of adversity and found their true calling in life. In both cases, their fight would elevate their own existence to a more meaningful one, as well as touch many other lives in a very positive way. It took a horrific event in their lives to set this in motion, but the main point was how determined they were to make a positive difference and not be afraid any more of others and their own inhibitions. They dared to take life by the horns and turn it into something that inspires many others they come in contact with.
Wayne Dyer, as usual, was talking about realizing one's potential. But a quote by Socrates was mentioned which really resonated with me - "The unexamined life is not worth living". The gist was that one must look inside oneself to understand what one's true calling is. Once that is clear, there has to be determination to achieve it, regardless of the hurdles in the way. Where there is true determination, there is no self-doubt, which is the key to achieving the end result.
Talking of determination and having a clear vision of the goal, I can look back and see some instances where I was in that zone. The first was after my 12th standard results, where I had not performed to my expectations. In my mind, this was nothing short of a failure, given what I had expected to achieve. While my friends were applying to what may be considered second-tier schools (B.Sc, which was considered inferior to engineering), just in case they didn't make it to the top schools, there never was once a doubt in my mind that I would make it to one of the top engineering schools. Now when I think back on it, it was not a very good example of risk mitigation. But at that time, I never considered what would happen if my Plan A did not pan out. Such was my determination and I made it to where I wanted to be.
Secondly, after graduation, when I wanted to study abroad, my goal was crystal clear in my mind. Boy, and were there adversities in my path! Right from getting a passport, all the way to bagging a scholarship - either of which could have easily derailed by dream. Like I used to say at that time -"No schol, no fall"! Meaning that without a scholarship, I could not have afforded to attend school in fall. That determination resulted in quite a few heroics on my part - like traveling alone to Patna for my passport in spite of high fever and staying at my friend's parents' place (not knowing any of them)...all the way to boarding a plane for the first time in my life and traveling alone to a foreign land (that's worthy of a post in itself!). I distinctly remember getting the letter saying that I had bagged a scholarship - literally on the last day when I was leaving to go back to Bangalore after finishing my undergrad studies. That joy and feeling of accomplishment is something that will remain with me forever. There have been many milestones that followed, but nothing comes close to the exhilaration I felt then.
Both these incidents occurred at critical junctures in my life, which resulted in me being where I am today. A famous quote from "The alchemist" that I read some time ago comes to mind - "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." Looking back, I cannot agree more.
Sadly, I feel somewhere along the way, I have lost that determination and drive I used to have. More recently, self-doubt seems to have crept in. It is so easy to get into the cycle of the daily grind that it is difficult to overcome the inertia and rise above the monotony to dwell on what it is that one "should" be doing...in short, discovering life's true calling. I even think that getting into a more determined state of mind will allow me to achieve so much more...both in my personal and professional life.
Someone had posted this quote on Facebook by Pema Chodron, the famous author on Tibetan Buddhism - "Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know". I am hoping that even if it is by trial and error, that each of us discover our true calling...the first step of which is to recognize and internalize the signs that are around us.
To determination! :-)
Today's topic for Satyameva Jayate detailed the experiences of a few people who had risen above the worst kind of adversity and found their true calling in life. In both cases, their fight would elevate their own existence to a more meaningful one, as well as touch many other lives in a very positive way. It took a horrific event in their lives to set this in motion, but the main point was how determined they were to make a positive difference and not be afraid any more of others and their own inhibitions. They dared to take life by the horns and turn it into something that inspires many others they come in contact with.
Wayne Dyer, as usual, was talking about realizing one's potential. But a quote by Socrates was mentioned which really resonated with me - "The unexamined life is not worth living". The gist was that one must look inside oneself to understand what one's true calling is. Once that is clear, there has to be determination to achieve it, regardless of the hurdles in the way. Where there is true determination, there is no self-doubt, which is the key to achieving the end result.
Talking of determination and having a clear vision of the goal, I can look back and see some instances where I was in that zone. The first was after my 12th standard results, where I had not performed to my expectations. In my mind, this was nothing short of a failure, given what I had expected to achieve. While my friends were applying to what may be considered second-tier schools (B.Sc, which was considered inferior to engineering), just in case they didn't make it to the top schools, there never was once a doubt in my mind that I would make it to one of the top engineering schools. Now when I think back on it, it was not a very good example of risk mitigation. But at that time, I never considered what would happen if my Plan A did not pan out. Such was my determination and I made it to where I wanted to be.
Secondly, after graduation, when I wanted to study abroad, my goal was crystal clear in my mind. Boy, and were there adversities in my path! Right from getting a passport, all the way to bagging a scholarship - either of which could have easily derailed by dream. Like I used to say at that time -"No schol, no fall"! Meaning that without a scholarship, I could not have afforded to attend school in fall. That determination resulted in quite a few heroics on my part - like traveling alone to Patna for my passport in spite of high fever and staying at my friend's parents' place (not knowing any of them)...all the way to boarding a plane for the first time in my life and traveling alone to a foreign land (that's worthy of a post in itself!). I distinctly remember getting the letter saying that I had bagged a scholarship - literally on the last day when I was leaving to go back to Bangalore after finishing my undergrad studies. That joy and feeling of accomplishment is something that will remain with me forever. There have been many milestones that followed, but nothing comes close to the exhilaration I felt then.
Both these incidents occurred at critical junctures in my life, which resulted in me being where I am today. A famous quote from "The alchemist" that I read some time ago comes to mind - "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." Looking back, I cannot agree more.
Sadly, I feel somewhere along the way, I have lost that determination and drive I used to have. More recently, self-doubt seems to have crept in. It is so easy to get into the cycle of the daily grind that it is difficult to overcome the inertia and rise above the monotony to dwell on what it is that one "should" be doing...in short, discovering life's true calling. I even think that getting into a more determined state of mind will allow me to achieve so much more...both in my personal and professional life.
Someone had posted this quote on Facebook by Pema Chodron, the famous author on Tibetan Buddhism - "Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know". I am hoping that even if it is by trial and error, that each of us discover our true calling...the first step of which is to recognize and internalize the signs that are around us.
To determination! :-)
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