We have a reader question by Anonymous
Many people are hard workers. But when there are obstacles, 99% give up. Only few are able to persist. What makes those people ‘tough’, ‘special’? What gives them the ‘strength’?
Firstly, not many are hard workers. Only few work hard. Most of us don’t, we think and believe that we are working hard but in reality we are just kidding ourselves. We don’t know what we are doing, we are trying to figure something out and pretending on the way.
- In a class of 50 students, at least 25-30 will never study consistently. 10-12 will study on a routine mode, just like a monotonous routine activity. 5 will study because they need marks. 2-3 will study because they love to, they want to.
- In a gymnasium, 50 people will register. 35 will never show up. 10 People will come for a month or two. 5 People will be regular of which 3 will do it just because it is a trend or they have convinced themselves that this thing is important. One or two will actually devote time and energy to build a good physique.
- In a placement interview, 50 students will sit for an examination. 35 People want a job because it pays money. They will take up whatever comes their way, irrespective of knowing whether they really want to do this job or not. 10 People want a job just to try their luck or see what’s this all about. 5 People really want to do it.
Do you see a pattern? Most people don’t know why they are working. What is the purpose behind whatever they are doing, what is the real goal?
- Are you doing something because everyone else around you is doing it and you think you need to do it too?
- Are you doing something because you think you will like doing it for the rest of your life?
- Are you doing something because you have nothing else to do?
- Are you doing something because you think you are not good for anything else?
Strength comes with the knowledge of “Why?”
Inner strength comes with the knowledge of Why. Why are you doing something?
99% give up because they don’t know the Why. 1% know the “Why” and they keep doing it, irrespective of the outcomes and consequences.
Let me share a story with you.
In my native, there is a Flute player who is often called to play with musicians. This man, however is not trained in music and he has never practiced this craft technically. He is a Flute merchant who sells Flutes to make a living. He sits in a railway station and plays flute all day long, not worrying about how many flutes he will sell. People listen to his flute and donate meager money as charity. Coupled with the sale of hand made flutes and charity, he somehow makes a living.
One day a musician spotted this guy and brought him in his studio. He told this guy to sit for a while, he will be back in half an hour. While the musician went off, this guy started playing with all his heart and kept on playing, he had nothing else to do.
The musician came back after half an hour and said
Thanks for playing. I have recording machines in this room and I have recorded whatever you had played. I will use some of that in my compositions, if you allow me to do so. Here is some money I want to offer you as a remuneration.
The man said
Why didn’t you tell me the truth? I would have played it for you for free, I don’t play for money.
The musician said
I know that. But had I told you the truth, I would have missed the natural vibe that came out of your flute. I wanted to capture your natural playing style.
When questioned why he hasn’t commercialised his talent, this man said
Of what use is all this? I just want to play my flute in peace, I don’t need anything else as a result. I love playing this and that itself is the reward. What will an artist do with money or fame? I have no craving for all that, let me just enjoy playing my flute and that is enough.
See the strength of this man. This is real strength, he knows the “WHY”. Now that he knows the “Why”, everything else is secondary to him. There is no weakness.
We don’t know it and we have never tried to know it. We are weak. We run towards the less important things in life and keep chasing them, not understanding the “Why”.
Once you know the why, there is no such thing as “Tough time”
- Once the student is aware why he is studying, he will never fear any examination. There won’t be any tough time at all, since he is studying for knowledge, not examination. It doesn’t matter whether he passes or fails, he knows that getting the knowledge is important, not passing or failing in any examination.
- Once the worker is aware why he is working, he will never fear the loss of his job or transfers or anything else. There is no “tough time” for a dedicated worker since he knows he is working for love, not for the fruit that comes as a result.
- Once the business man knows why he is doing this business, he won’t fear of market crash, loss and other things. He is doing this business to solve a problem and so long the problem is there and his efforts are in the right direction, he will continue doing it without worrying about external things. People who don’t know why they are doing their business will worry about market crash, money flow and other “less important things”.
If you don’t know the why, you will not persist. You will give up, sooner than later, this is fundamental rule. Very few people actually know the “WHY” of something. And only those people persist till the end, regardless of success / failure, external conditions and temporary turbulence.
Always remember, Strength lies in the knowledge of Why.
Find it.