SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE -4

The ability to take risks  exponentially increases your chances to win the battle and increases the rate of your success.

' Two roads diverged in a wood , and I - I took the less traveled by, and that has made all the difference .' says Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.

Success simply implies accomplishment of aim or purpose .  Successful people are blessed with a YES mind and are willing to make alterations in their lives .

' Success is not final , failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts' wrote Winston Churchil.

I can recollect  the stories of three people . All unknown to each other , but had one common strand in their lives . They were all alcoholics and were suffering , physically and emotionally .  Their families were distraught , children petrified and relationships with spouses  hitting the rock bottom.

‘ The price of success is hard work , dedication to the job at hand , and the determination that whether we win or lose , we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand’ says Vince Lombardi

A posteriori  , I recommended them to undertake the Art of Living courses . The first colleague junior to me in service agreed to do a three day course  and found  undergoing ' Sudarshan Kriya'  breathing technique offered by the Art of Living to be  an exhilarating  experience . He did not immediately quit alcohol , but managed to fight the battle with bottle for yet  another day . To begin with his dependency on alcohol substantially reduced . If only he had continued with the practice  of Sudarshan Kriya and also participated in other Art of Living courses unfailingly  , he could  have managed to combat the problem of alcoholism  successfully. It is the vacillating and not the intrepid mind that acts as an impediment to the progress of man , be it materially or spiritually.

The second individual , did not have the gravitas in him to  eschew the habit . He refused to undergo the course or take any other professional help and  rather tragically succumbed to the lethal disease .

And finally , the  narrative of the third person . He  kept struggling with dark and gloomy  thoughts and a  negative shroud  enveloping his personality . Fortunately  he  listened to my composmentis and attempted to do the Happiness Programme of the Art of Living . But destiny willed something else and  f or reasons , beyond human  control he could not do the course . However he   traveled all the way from Jaipur to Bangalore to have the Darshan of Gurudev  as he was sick of the addiction which had numbed his immune system and began suffering from a variety of health problems.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar asked this gentleman to get admitted to  the Ayurvedic hospital located at Bangalore Ashram  and undertake a rehab , before doing the course.

But he ignored the  sagacious advice  at his own peril and fled back to Jaipur . His monkey mind was still not at rest and kept  conjuring tricks to continue his dalliance with Bacchus .

But  the ways of  the Masters cannot be appreciated by the small mind . Only a mind of superior intelligence can grasp the nuances , nods , smiles , acknowledgements of those spiritually evolved. Masters never foresake any needy who approaches and ensures help would be rendered in some form or the other. It so transpired that , this gentleman  though did not do the Art of Living course joined  the Alcoholics Anonymous and over a  period of time became sober. The ever grateful nonetheless , always made it a point to have Guruji's Darshan , whenever the Master was in Jaipur or Delhi. So the divine grace was flowing to the seeker.

The second case  was a tragic one . But , rest assured 66% success was achieved and that itself was   heartening . Those who gave 100% were  rewarded with success.  That is the Law of Universe . Universe fulfills all positive intentions , provided they are pure in content and form.

These are stories of men like any one of us , who  have faced trials and tribulations in  their lives . Some try , some struggle  and some are successful. The choice is ours and that of our minds . The human mind is extremely important in providing the right course and  direction . Mind remains  an enigma and its potential is to be harnessed . Mind Power can make people successful or failures . But to give 100% is paramount .

To be successful in our  careers or to  make a 360  degree shift in lives  like those suffering from  any debilitating addiction , the  individual needs to take risks and not become prisoners of their  past or remain stuck  in their  pigeon holes . Determination , Dedication , Dabbling with something new, Doggedness of pursuit map our minds  to believe in self and convictions.  A successful person and mind  invariably  lives in the present moment to harbinger change.

It is important to keep learning and be open to fresh ideas and approaches. Alongside are required hardwork , patience , sense of motivation and purpose  and maintaining  integrity.  Living an  ethical life is of immense virtue and unfolds remarkable vistas.

The American motivational writer , Zig Zaglar sums it up aptly ,' With integrity you have nothing to fear , since you have nothing to hide . With integrity you do the right thing , so you will have no guilt.'