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That which we Seek May be Within Reach

- T. G. L. Iyer

To Live without Purpose is to live at the mercy of chance, because we have no standard or measurement to judge what is or what is not worth doing.

Outside forces knock us around like cork floating on water or a bottle being tossed about on the high seas.

Have you seen driftwood in a fast flowing river, which assumes different size and shape which are polished and displayed in drawing rooms?

In the beginning it is an ordinary piece of wood flowing with water, getting knocked about on rocks, giving it a shape by honing some of its parts. In the life of many people, the driftwood comparison would be appropriate.

Yet, there are others who use their intellect and power for the attainment of goals they select, like studying, raising a family, starting, raising a family, starting a new business, solving a scientific problem or even running a successful family.

Purposeful men and women set goals to commensurate with their abilities. The purpose that pushes us need to be specific, if they are to be realized. When I am specific, I can monitor my progress, compare intention with the result, modify my strategy and tactics, and be accountable for the results I produce!

Mahatma Gandhi had a clear goal, mission and strategy. He was resolute, capitalized an opportunity and dealt with resistance patiently. He knew that to make a difference in life, one cannot do so by doing things the way all others do! If you choose to lead your life like everyone, then what exactly is it that you can offer to the world?

Great people choose the road less traveled. They choose the lonely path instead of the highway. Life is an uncommon choice to allow intuition and instinct to work rather than merely following the crowd! Conforming to norms does not raise standards.

Mark Twain, the American humourist said: “Not all horses are born equal: a few are born to win”.

Do you know how the phrase “Starting from scratch” was coined? It came in to being from the rules of 18th century English horse-racing, the horse considered the finest was sent back and had to start the race from behind a line, “scratched” on the turf or gravel. In Modern horse-racing, the champion horse does not start from behind, but is loaded with heavy saddle-bags in order to equalize the competition. Incredibly, the more races a horse wins, the more weight it has to carry!

Great people choose the road less traveled. They choose the lonely path instead of the highway. Life is an uncommon choice to allow intuition and instinct to work rather than merely following the crowd! Conforming to norms does not raise standards.

Life is something similar. The winner always faces more competition. Some want to pull him down; others want to make the competition. Some want to pull him down; others want to make the competition tough. But the real champion will come overcome the handicaps and ride past the winner’s post, because he has decided to win and has made preparations to achieve it.

In Olympics, the champion surpasses his usual performance, because of severe competition. The champion practices and sets the goal not only to win but to create a new record!

In America, a General motor was doing good business. At the height of its success, Management consultant Peter Drucker warned that the policies that worked well in the past would not work in the year to come. General Motors will face a crisis if it did not rethink and recycle its policies. He was met with ridicule and hostility. Yet, the future vindicated his analysis.

Psychiatrist Irvin D.Yalom in his Book Existential Psychotherapy wrote: “The belief that life is incomplete without goal fulfillment is really true”. Once I asked a businessman approaching 60, what goals he had for the rest of his life. He answered “I don’t have any goals except to live well in the present. With that goal, I am living purposefully”.

Living happily is also a purpose, mission and goal. The challenge for people is to maintain high personal standards. But the man purpose would maintain that high standard what ever may be the cost, price or sacrifice.

That which we hope for, dream about, long for, and seek, may not be far off, but within reach!

Source: Vol. 51, No 13 February 15, 2005 from Bhavan’s Journal

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