You are the key to Your Success
‘The world’s full of competition, and unless you’re number 1, you won’t be given a thought by anyone.’
Sounds familiar? You might have heard this from family members or teachers. And it must have left you pondering- How can everyone be number 1? I don’t have the talent to ever get there. I can’t do it. Once that thought process kicks in, you are officially on the road called Self Doubt and Denial. Soon enough, you’ll be squandering your time and getting undesired results. Your self confidence will tumble down the drain. And the sorry cycle continues when you have to try something else.
Yikes! No one wants that. But it’s hard to give your best shot when everyone around you seems to be overachievers, juggling ten different activities and still making time to hang out with their friends. Meanwhile, you’re struggling to get decent marks, and extracurricular activities have flown out the window. How can you get there?
None of us are perfect. We all know that. But did you know that when you see yourself as inferior to someone (I’m not as good looking, or smart as he/she) that you actually become that ?
Sachin Tendulkar, the cricket star and role model to scores of young players, once said something worth remembering. He said that whenever he went to sleep thinking that he would earn a wicket in the next day’s match, he always did. Whenever he thought to himself that he’ll be the longest standing player in a match, he always was. See how self confidence plays a huge role in success?
It’s true that many of us think we can never be achievers, because no matter how hard we try, we can never zoom up to the top and win all the laurels. So it’s better not to try at all, right? Wrong.
When you single-mindedly slog for something because you want to excel at it, not beat everyone in the vicinity, your goals shift dramatically. Your goal is then ‘Excelling because I love what I am doing’, not ‘Beating the previous winner’. You dispose of all your envy, bitterness, sadness and despair, and give it your best shot.
They always say trying is more important than winning. But let’s face it, we all love winning. That’s because we’re going about it the wrong way! Once we steer our priorities from winning to learning, that doesn’t remain the case. The task turns into a game, meant to be played at the highest level of focus but not to win, just because you like it and it’s good for you. After every mistake you make, you learn not to repeat them, and become wiser and more experienced as a result.
One of the biggest hurdles to giving a leap of faith and trying is the nagging fear of what people will think. I’ll share my own personal experience in the matter. I used to have an aversion to speaking to strangers or speaking in public as I was scared people would laugh at me. I realize how irrational it was now. But I soon realized that it’s my job to grab the audience’s attention and convey my thoughts clearly. I could hardly do that just lurking behind the curtain. I had to seize the moment. And I did just that when I spoke at an election at our school.
Did you ever think you are insignificant? That your actions impact no one, or that you are too unimportant to be noticed? Think again! Our ancient texts give their sanction for this fact. The gist of the illuminating Upanishads is that you are the Universe. They say that the supreme, all pervading energy of the Universe (Brahman) is the same as the essence of life in all organisms (Atman). So basically you contain the divine essence of the universe! You’re going to think twice before ridiculing yourself in the future now, aren’t you?
Belief in yourself is not the only parameter to mastering something, however. Hard work is necessary too. And you get the will to work hard if you believe you can achieve something! So both of them go hand in hand.
Some people always put you down. I read somewhere that you should only ‘eat’ the thoughts that are good for you. It means that just like you should avoid junk food and consume wholesome food, you should not listen to ‘junk’ or pessimistic thoughts, or words. You should only accept the optimistic thoughts that are good for you. We can take examples from real life, like differently abled sportspeople. They didn’t let tiny things like a change in bodily proportions affect their aspirations. They didn’t listen to the dozens of people who told them it was no good, or to give up.
In conclusion, if your heart is set on an enriching goal, go for it! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Never focus on the end results, but on learning through the process. Shift your priorities and get up if you fall down on the way. Change your perspective to change your life!