Probably one of the few times when I'm writing as soon as an idea was born. This way, there are two possibilities. The usual stuff with impulse is that its either awesome or plain crap.
A tinge of philosophy comes and plays in my mind when I say success and it somehow relates eventually to our purpose in life. What was the purpose with which we made it this far? What is the purpose for which we have been doing things in life, and what is the purpose for which we are all yearning to be successful?
A rather humorous discussion one of my bandmates and I were having about a fortnight ago - purpose. He suddenly suggested what if we were all accidents and there is an entity that looks down and sniggers - 'Fools - you are trying to look for purpose. I wanted to do something and did, it was accidentally you' :).
That apart, I learnt in the first year engineering (Feel employable, 2002, anyone?) that we do not celebrate smaller successes in life. I still remember, we were asked to jot down things we have successfully done since morning. I was blank. The host then said, you've woken up successfully, you've brushed successfully, you've come to the programme successfully, etc. I could only guffaw. I guffawed then, I guffaw now.
I don't mean you mustn't celebrate success. But celebratory rites are different for different folk. I mean, you won't catch me celebrating my first bass riff, my 1053'd laptop charge, that my iPad drained out its battery or that I completed a novel.
Slowly, over time, you come to realise that purpose and success are so interrelated. They are like blood brothers, if I may. You get a brainwave one day that you are destined to do something in life. That's your definition of your purpose. You work toward it. You work your ass toward it. Just having a strong will won't do, I know. I know the hard way. But again, its only the will that can carry it across and make you push yourself. The will to become a photographer, say. Or the will to get creative with each passing phase of life.
Success then, gets relative. Also elusive. Not to most. To purists and perfectionists. I know with musicians, its a degree closer than other folk - they work on a song, revisit it and cringe that they could ever work on something that bad. So there, the pedestal you are aiming at keeps moving. The simple purpose then becomes, 'How to get better?'. Maybe THAT is the underlying purpose of all of us in life, which we realise when our friend, the 'purpose 1' gets activated.
Of course, when you are chasing your purpose and its only you who keeps changing the definition of success, (but nonchalantly tell others that success eludes you), there is a strong possibility of turning either way. You won't stop till you reach and that is an extremely admirable fighting spirit to display. Or, you simply won't know when to stop. Which can obviously lead to a mental breakdown. Its not like rating yourself higher. Its simply putting yourself down and pushing yourself to unfamiliar limits and arena.
Maybe the 'Celebrate small successes' part was this. It all makes sense now like a puzzle. Also, the 'dream - like' success (that mostly form main parts of inspiring stories) comes to you only when you are ready to take it. So till then, its the purpose and the undying spirit to pursue your purpose.
A tinge of philosophy comes and plays in my mind when I say success and it somehow relates eventually to our purpose in life. What was the purpose with which we made it this far? What is the purpose for which we have been doing things in life, and what is the purpose for which we are all yearning to be successful?
A rather humorous discussion one of my bandmates and I were having about a fortnight ago - purpose. He suddenly suggested what if we were all accidents and there is an entity that looks down and sniggers - 'Fools - you are trying to look for purpose. I wanted to do something and did, it was accidentally you' :).
That apart, I learnt in the first year engineering (Feel employable, 2002, anyone?) that we do not celebrate smaller successes in life. I still remember, we were asked to jot down things we have successfully done since morning. I was blank. The host then said, you've woken up successfully, you've brushed successfully, you've come to the programme successfully, etc. I could only guffaw. I guffawed then, I guffaw now.
I don't mean you mustn't celebrate success. But celebratory rites are different for different folk. I mean, you won't catch me celebrating my first bass riff, my 1053'd laptop charge, that my iPad drained out its battery or that I completed a novel.
Slowly, over time, you come to realise that purpose and success are so interrelated. They are like blood brothers, if I may. You get a brainwave one day that you are destined to do something in life. That's your definition of your purpose. You work toward it. You work your ass toward it. Just having a strong will won't do, I know. I know the hard way. But again, its only the will that can carry it across and make you push yourself. The will to become a photographer, say. Or the will to get creative with each passing phase of life.
Success then, gets relative. Also elusive. Not to most. To purists and perfectionists. I know with musicians, its a degree closer than other folk - they work on a song, revisit it and cringe that they could ever work on something that bad. So there, the pedestal you are aiming at keeps moving. The simple purpose then becomes, 'How to get better?'. Maybe THAT is the underlying purpose of all of us in life, which we realise when our friend, the 'purpose 1' gets activated.
Of course, when you are chasing your purpose and its only you who keeps changing the definition of success, (but nonchalantly tell others that success eludes you), there is a strong possibility of turning either way. You won't stop till you reach and that is an extremely admirable fighting spirit to display. Or, you simply won't know when to stop. Which can obviously lead to a mental breakdown. Its not like rating yourself higher. Its simply putting yourself down and pushing yourself to unfamiliar limits and arena.
Maybe the 'Celebrate small successes' part was this. It all makes sense now like a puzzle. Also, the 'dream - like' success (that mostly form main parts of inspiring stories) comes to you only when you are ready to take it. So till then, its the purpose and the undying spirit to pursue your purpose.
