Life Lessons: In Retrospect
Since times immemorial, sages on their stages, personality development gurus, globally recognized motivational speakers, coaches and a host of other experts have been trying their level best to enrich us with precise guidance for the all elusive recipe of SUCCESS.
Unfortunately, I do not feel confident enough to claim my membership in the above group of intelligentsia. Why?
I am a “Guide by Your Side, Not a Sage on the Stage” that’s why!
Here is the first one in a Series of 5 Life Lessons that I learnt before getting to partake of any of the above gems of wisdom and would like to share the same with anyone willing to go beyond the norm:
Out of the so many extremely challenging, ultra-formidable and unimaginatively difficult situations that I managed to not only survive but also put them to use so I could thrive, I like to call the first one: Winging!
STOP WINGING: ‘Winging’ means having no written goals or plans; going without knowing where you are, where you intend to go and how you are going to get there without a road map, without a compass and without a guide. It is a universally acknowledged fact that action without planning is no better than inaction.
Who are you to tell me how I should live my life?
What makes us think we have every right not to face the consequences of our actions or lack thereof?
When exactly is a good time for us to decide what we should do in a given situation?
Where can we find answers to some of the most difficult questions that we face in our lives because of others’ actions?
Why do we do things that we need to look back upon and regret?
In my struggle for survival I had to devise plans almost on a daily basis and then adjust them per the need of a given situation. This taught me to be resilient, to be creative, to never lose sight of my goal, to stay focused and take all challenges as thorns in a rose bush.
Adversity taught me some of the most important lessons in life, not because I was gifted, not because I was looking for ways out of difficult situations, also not because I was a meritorious student. On the contrary, I was left with no choice but to learn all those lessons.
I never allowed defeats, failures, challenges and negativity of the surrounding naysayers stick to me. I kept forging ahead like a valiant soldier with the Motto of Life engraved on his forehead:
FORTUNATE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE GREAT GUIDES; SUCCESSFUL ARE THE ONES THAT FOLLOW THEM TO THE ‘T’!
