Success can be measured from two standpoints: External and the internal.
Externally it is the measure of a job well done and recognition. Internally it is a feeling of achievement and wholeness derived from the completion of a task or the fulfilment of a desire. Is a true measure of success the outer accolades or the inner joy and peace that is experienced when we know we have performed well?
Our goals are based on our desires and aspirations. When we fulfil a desire or achieve a goal we feel happy and successful. But shortly another desire arises and we feel incomplete and begin to strive again. Occasionally, when we reach a goal we feel a void in our lives and do not know what to do next.
Success can also be measured by the feeling of comfort we have with ourselves. This happens when we live according to our intrinsic nature. If we attain what we want and still find something lacking then we know that either our desire was not desirable or the means adopted were not in accordance with Nature.
Modern management philosophy says that if a person is satisfied there is a lack of motivation and this works against the interest of the corporation. This is a negative approach. When people are positively satisfied, they want to share their feelings with others... Their motivational levels get higher. They want to work more and also efficiently.
Swami Chinmayananda, founder of the Chinmaya Mission, went all over the world, reaching out to people not because he desired anything. He did it out of a joy of sharing what he had, so that others may benefit and partake of his knowledge, good fortune and success. It was an expression of the joy he felt within. True success is that which gives happiness to self and others.
Success should include and embrace all aspects of life. Some may be great at work but utter failures in the family arena. Some may be good in the family but are of no use to society. We must be whole individuals, just as God intended us to be. Take the case of a mango seed that grows to be a tree giving the world its sweet fruit. The seed does precisely nothing, but by remaining true to its nature finds fulfilment and completeness.
After returning from Lanka Rama was asked how he won the battle. Rather than taking the entire credit he acknowledged the contribution of all those who had helped him. Giving credit to the whole team is the hallmark of a great and true leader. When Hanuman returned from Lanka after locating Sita, he did not go directly to Rama to give him the news. He collected all the other monkeys and included them in the successful completion of their mission.
Why do people want success? It is associated with perfection, wholeness and joy. It is an expression of our Higher Self which is Supreme and perfect. We have this thirst for success because we are that Supreme alone. We want to be great because we are intrinsically great! It is a natural desire fulfilling its natural goal. If we understand this in all its connotations then our success will not be dependent on anyone's failure, nor will it be gained by pulling others down. Our joy will emanate from a deep sense of contentment and completeness.
No comments:
Post a Comment