“What
lies before us and what lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within
us”. Truly, these jolting words of Emerson gives me that flashback of what
Socrates had promulgated centuries ago, “know thyself.”
The most vital ingredient
required in knowing thyself is to keep enhancing & improving oneself at
every opportunity & become aware of one's frailties, abilities
and even virtues. Too many people are dreaming of some magical rose garden on
the horizon rather than rejoicing the one growing in their own backyard. Let’s
discover the untapped potential & dexterity within us and stop emulating
the crowd and give a second thought to our endeavors. Life doesn't always give
us what we ask for but it always gives us what we need.
Aldus Huxley always reminds me of the golden
exhortation i.e. “There is only one corner in the world where you can be
certain of improving and that is your own self”. Yes, nothing can defeat us
unless we checkmate ourselves. Even Shakespeare in Julius Caesar points, “The
fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are
underlings".
During
the second half of the 18th century, John Wesley rode up and down
through the English country side. He was disturbed by the poverty, badness and
the ugliness of the village life. One day, he hit upon the scheme of
distributing various kinds of flowers, seeds to the housewives offering prizes
for the most beautiful garden, with the result that today the English
countryside has the reputation of becoming the most colorful one in the world.
One man almost single handedly changed the profile of rural districts of an
entire nation!
The
moment we refuse to be average and strive to be excellent, we are on the way to
change. Change is what keeps us fresh and innovative!
To
put the world in right order, we must put the nation in order. To put the
nation in order, we must first put the family in order, to put the family in
order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts
right!
A
caterpillar asked a butterfly: “How do you become a butterfly?” The butterfly
replied: “You have to be willing to die”. The caterpillar asked with
astonishment: “Die?” The butterfly answered serenely: “Well, it feels like
you’re dying. But it really turns out to be a transformation to something
better!”
Yes
friends, to bring about a distinct transformation in ourselves, we need to
savor the life’s flavor. Even if the life offers us a difficult situation, it
depends upon our perspective, whether we make or mar ourselves through it. The
humdinger, Sachin Tendulkar, is truly an epitome for us. This personality is
beyond the ordinary and the robust foundation of his success story has been
laid by his hallmark of Self-Improvement. The master blaster says, “The stones
which people throw at me, I consider them as milestones and move on
courageously!”
A
cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such speed. It
feels an impulsion……. This is a place to go now! But the sky knows the reasons
and patterns behind all the clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift
yourself high enough to see beyond the horizons.
The
golf maestro, Tiger Woods, once said, “I view my life in a way….. The greatest
thing about tomorrow is, I will be better than I am today. And that’s how I
look at my life. I will be better as a golfer, I will be better as a person, I
will be better as a friend. That’s the beauty of life. The lessons I learn
today I will apply tomorrow, and I will be better!”
What
we see in ourself is what we see in the world. By imbibing the attribute of
self-improvement, we’ll build tenacity and spiritual fitness needed to meet any
hurdle and obstacle. We’ll greet each morning with anticipation. Our God-given
purpose will sparkle in our eyes and our heart will be filled with genuine joy
and bliss.
Once
a British newspaper asked its readers, “What is wrong with the world?” One of the letters it received was from the
famous writer, G.K Chesterton. His answer to the query was very short. It just
said, “I am”. It is
rightly said that, “It is far better to wear shoes than to carpet the whole
earth!”One of the finest reformers of the world, Mahatma Gandhi, once said, “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE”. You
cannot change the world, but you can present the world with one improved
person, yourself! Self-improvement funda is like an onion, a constant discovery,
layer after layer, until its very heart is reached. It adds taste, zest and
vigorous yet calm qualities that enriches our lives. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam inspired
the youths with his electrifying saying, “Each one of us has a divine fire in
us. And our aim should be to give wings to this fire.”
Never
despise life’s fiery trails. They are the God’s ways of bringing out the best
in you. We need to take high moral ground and believe that we are God’s gift to
the society. Always remember, you are like a diamond and the more a diamond is
cut, the more it glitters. The more we try to revamp ourselves, the more
exceptional we become. Success will never lower its standard to accommodate us.
We have to raise our standards to achieve it. For every bird, God provides
food, but not in their nest. The Almighty has bestowed upon us a plethora of
talents and passions and our fervent desire should be to manifest them. The power
to make a difference lies within each one of us & the self-improvement
technique can fuel our aura to reach the pinnacles of glory.
Robert
Frost has incredibly enthused in me the gusto “to give so much time to improve
myself that I don’t have time to criticize others” with his dictum:
The
woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But
I have promises to keep,
And
miles to go before I sleep,
And
miles to go before I sleep!
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Dont u think life is more complicated then words.
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