It is not only the hard work that determines a person’s success, but it is the inspired action that comes from within, says Ashraf Karayath
The American-German poet, Charles Bukowski’s simple yet astounding gravestone reads: “Don’t Try”. To many it might appear to be underestimating, but to a larger audience the two words ask them to be just natural. Instead of breaking a sweat to reap benefits from something that doesn’t raise your eyebrows, Bukowski asks them to wait patiently because something innate, will surface. Instincts and innate talent is what Bukowski asks one to delve into.
Life coaching, streamlined as it sounds, seldom does it converse with the inner convoluted realms of an individual. Life coaches are suggested to or consulted by people from different walks of their lives. A student. An aspiring entrepreneur. An executive recently promoted in the company’s top brass seat. To each one their own. The needs could be varying per the situation demanding. But, as history is evident, no matter how many lessons does one note in their diary to react in a similar way juxtaposing their situation with someone else’s; when it comes to application, nothing but their instincts are in charge of the leash guiding their horses.
As late American business magnate, Steve Jobs voiced: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Jobs here refers to the call we have within ourselves. One can connect to their dominant inner being and can unravel new avenues only if he goes within himself. There are timeless pearls of wisdom in ancient scriptures and books to peek into for valuable lessons and guidance, but in a nutshell, during these challenging times, it’s all about ideating ways of how to cope with our day-to-day situation and to find more meaning in what we are doing. Corporate leaders, good artists, scientists, and businessmen of the bygone era, were visionaries driven by sheer confidence. However, this confidence was ignited by something as simple as a gut feeling to achieve it, for that is what quenched their burning desire. To paint the worldly canvas by bringing their thoughts to existence.
It’s not only the hard work that determines a person’s success, but it’s the inspired action that comes from within, especially when a person identifies his innate strength and vision. Although most of the management theories deal with quick-fix approaches, what a corporate leader needs are lessons of wisdom where they can connect truly to their inner vision.
As the whole world is gripped by fear and uncertainty, people are losing their expectations and faith, and are faced with anxiety, stress and fear. These negative emotions take a toll on our mental health which in turn affect our immune system. This is the time where we all need to calibrate ourselves to the strength of our inner wellbeing, which is dominant and inherent in us. Spirituality is nothing but tapping those innate strengths. We usually tend to open our inner world only when the noise of the external world subsides. So now, when we are isolated completely, all of the chaos of the external world is naturally shut down, and we get ample time to reflect and go back within ourselves. Our mind-made clutters will slowly wither away, and when there’s nothingness, a new world would slowly emerge.
It reels us back to learning from how people of repute in the ancient times didn’t have professional individuals/life coaches to run to and seek help from during turbulent phases of their careers, but it was the thumping voice within that directed the course for them to achieve the unprecedented feat.
The writer is the author of Janaka and Ashtavakra: A Journey Beyond
