The Journey, Rather Than The Destination
Satsang: Swami Sukhabodhananda
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We have many desires and targets... not all are attainable. Some people are content with whatever they get.Others keep trying and by the time they attain their goals they are perhaps too old to enjoy them.What is the right approach?I recommend a third approach. You can have a desire. Put in your best effort to fulfil it. But make sure you enjoy the effort rather than its fruits. There are those who make the effort grumbling, and are happy only when the desire is achieved. There are others who exhaust themselves making the effort to such a degree that they have no strength or enthusiasm left to enjoy the fruits of their labour. The third method seems a better option.
Enjoy the effort no matter what the effect. I see nothing wrong with having a desire. But if you are using fulfilment as a condition for contentment, you may be reducing your chances of happiness altogether. You decide that you will be happy only when you become the managing director of the company you are working for. Now you are postponing the moment of your happiness to a point in the future. You will be happy only if and when you attain that position.You are not happy engaged in the process of trying to reach the position.
Do you derive any pleasure from generating new ideas for your company's growth? Can you enjoy the long hours of creative work you put in trying to implement those plans?
The third way celebrates the journey towards the destination. Sure, if the destination is reached, we will be happy. Even if it is not reached, nobody can take away the sense of thrill at having run the race, the delicious fatigue in the process. My happiness is derived not from reaching a goal, but from the struggle and my attempt at reaching it. Enjoy the effort; give your best. Ensure that you will be working smart, not just hard.Don't go fishing in the bath tub. Don't try to work up lather in a running stream.Instead, fish in a stream, and work up lather in a bath tub.Set and evaluate your goals, estimate the quantum and quality of efforts to be invested in attaining the goals, calculate the ROI (return on investment) quotient carefully , and then, if you are convinced the ratio is satisfactory , go ahead and work towards your goals.
Failure is a fact of life. In all competitive endeavours, as in sports, for example, one side has to lose. Why should “losers“ feel that they have nothing to feel glad about? A losing finalist at Wimbledon is definitely entitled to feel sad at the loss, but should he mourn the loss at the finals or savour the success up to the semi-finals? Celebrate successes rather than brood over losses.
Failures are necessary to remind us of our human vulnerabilities. An unbroken string of successes can create pride and a sense of invincibility in a high achiever.Such pride always precedes a great fall.Surrendering to the Lord is an act of bhakti or devotion, and surrender happens only in a spirit of humility.
Enjoy the effort no matter what the effect. I see nothing wrong with having a desire. But if you are using fulfilment as a condition for contentment, you may be reducing your chances of happiness altogether. You decide that you will be happy only when you become the managing director of the company you are working for. Now you are postponing the moment of your happiness to a point in the future. You will be happy only if and when you attain that position.You are not happy engaged in the process of trying to reach the position.
Do you derive any pleasure from generating new ideas for your company's growth? Can you enjoy the long hours of creative work you put in trying to implement those plans?
The third way celebrates the journey towards the destination. Sure, if the destination is reached, we will be happy. Even if it is not reached, nobody can take away the sense of thrill at having run the race, the delicious fatigue in the process. My happiness is derived not from reaching a goal, but from the struggle and my attempt at reaching it. Enjoy the effort; give your best. Ensure that you will be working smart, not just hard.Don't go fishing in the bath tub. Don't try to work up lather in a running stream.Instead, fish in a stream, and work up lather in a bath tub.Set and evaluate your goals, estimate the quantum and quality of efforts to be invested in attaining the goals, calculate the ROI (return on investment) quotient carefully , and then, if you are convinced the ratio is satisfactory , go ahead and work towards your goals.
Failure is a fact of life. In all competitive endeavours, as in sports, for example, one side has to lose. Why should “losers“ feel that they have nothing to feel glad about? A losing finalist at Wimbledon is definitely entitled to feel sad at the loss, but should he mourn the loss at the finals or savour the success up to the semi-finals? Celebrate successes rather than brood over losses.
Failures are necessary to remind us of our human vulnerabilities. An unbroken string of successes can create pride and a sense of invincibility in a high achiever.Such pride always precedes a great fall.Surrendering to the Lord is an act of bhakti or devotion, and surrender happens only in a spirit of humility.
