The pursuit of greatness

With the advent of needs, desire, luxury, greed, lust, hunger, man forgets his ambitions of childhood- the pursuit of greatness.

Who doesn't want to be great? Everybody does, even if they don't, sometime in life they did. As children when our responsibilities were being carried out by elders, we had been thinking of uncountable dreams and achievements. But as time passes, as responsibilities dawn upon us, we seldom remember those beautiful thoughts and mostly put them aside as being insignificant. And this is just a fragment of the gigantic answer as to where we lose ourselves. Our enthusiasm dies due to many reasons but the only problem lies within us. The basic need is to have self-confidence on terms that we can be successful. Until optimism is acquired, greatness and success both equally remain enigma.

People dream and dreaming is good. Making dreams your master is the unacceptable goal. For instance, some people aspire to be doctors and the basic desire is to serve and not earn. Earning comes on its own if you have the knowledge in yourself. Aiming at earning instead of learning is a fantastic example where we fail. And we fail here because we tend to, not because we are bound to.

There exists a 'retirement age' in services which marks the end period of a job. The same 'retirement age' is invalid for people who don't live to live, but love to live. They see life from a child-like perception; everything can be acquired and many years are yet to come. We perish ourselves the moment we start planning the future instead of working for today. Future is an abstract which is meant to be seen or imagined and not planned. Planning without action and action without planning both are equally destructive and that is also where we fail reaching our goals. There remains a plan we have to follow and the requisite actions that are to be executed. Most of us never care about our dreams because we prefer seeing them at night than during the day.

Today we have bestselling motivational authors like Robin Sharma and Shiv Khera, the books of whose have been sold in millions. But have all the million people who bought the books on success, really became successful? Let suppose all of them turned successful, have all become great? To get the answer behind this question, I ask you to meditate on just one sentence, "Cooks are many, chefs are few".

It incurred in my mind when i was randomly filling up forms for my admission to UG courses. I heard from people:

"Opt for Commerce, banking sector is booming",

"Geology is awesome. Try for ISM Dhanbad and once you get there, you have assured placement in a central govt. job",

"Why don't you go for English Honors? You are so good in the subject",

"With Make in India policy by Modi Government, computer and IT sector has the brightest future. You must go for it".

Indeed there are various opportunities but it is you who has to decide where you can enjoy and reach your goal. What is better for you remains known to just you. People make you see from their perspective; it's true. But the ultimate one is you who needs to judge yourself. Discovering yourself is the first pursuit of greatness. Finally when I decided to opt for Computer Science and Engineering, a relative expressed, "The subject is perfect for you. You sit in front of the computer for ten hours a day, and you love it so much so I think you will excel in it". I was amazed at those words which continually whirled around in my head. The mentioning of the average duration was the biggest irony. I thought, 'Even the owner of the cyber cafe near our home sits in front of the computer for ten hours or even more, how has he excelled?' The definition of success differs from person to person so he might have become successful but has he been able to turn great? How many people are familiar with Bill Gates (owner of Microsoft) as compared to Munna Patel (owner of a nameless cyber cafe)? If observed from a different dimension then we observe the deeds are somewhat similar, then why this vast difference? My perception in Shiv Khera's words is that "Winners don't do different things, they do things differently".

That success which isn't great is not a success in true meaning. If success means a job, happy parents, marrying a girl from a high profile family, children going to school in Audi car, then your success is in the riches, not greatness. As such you did nothing different than what many others did. If you believe that you are born for a unique reason then you wouldn't waste a thought to make your coming to this world valuable. The basic enthusiasm which makes us strive has to remain ignited till the goal is achieved. Once you become great in true sense, you can feel greatness fill your mind with indefinable spirit. Great people don't have to shout about their presence, their silence speaks about it. Great people neither say to lead nor to follow, but to walk like friends till paths divert and bid adieu. They are great who know to smile even when they subside the pain within, for they know the ultimate aim is to spread happiness. Greatness is not achieved believing in someone other than yourself. Always remember, "To lead the crowd, you have to be apart from it, not a part of it". If you have faith in yourself that you can do great, then nobody can stop you in your pursuit of greatness.