Don’t get discouraged; it is often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock .
Most young people are fired by high ambitions in life. They wish to climb the dizzy heights of success. But many of them don’t have a clear vision of the eventual goal they wish to attain. On the other hand they have a nebulous concept of aims they are seeking to achieve. Such persons may be like drivers of fast moving vehicles on an unfamiliar road on an intensely foggy day. Both the factors—lack of intimate knowledge of the way and poor visibility due to bad weather are likely to lead them astray. Similarly people with a hazy view of life are likely to miss their destination in life.
C. Harry Brooks aptly observes, “We are incapable of exercising the will unless the imagination has first furnished it with a goal. We cannot simply will, we must will something.”
I recall the case of a youngman named Mohan whom success eluded as he had no specific target to shoot at. Mohan had both talent and youthful spirits wich are essential ingredients of success. First of all he set up a shop dealing in automobile spare parts. He expected a windfall in profits. Obviously he did not take into account the competition he would have to face from other dealers in the market. Soon realities began to assert themselves. Customers did not flock to his shop spell-bound as he had expected. Mohan had not developed the grit required to tide over this unpleasant phase which is inevitable in all enterprises. Disillusioned, he threw up his hands in despair and decided to wind up his business. He incurred a considerable loss.
Disenchantment with the automobile business induced him to set his heart on setting up a medical store at a vantage point in the city. He embarked upon his new venture with a lot of fanfare. After sometime when Mohan began to face some problems in this new project also, he began to curse fate instead of thinking of ways and means to solve them. Clearly he wanted fate to offer him success on a silver platter. He was not prepared to wrest it by the sweat of his brow. Unable to find a magic wand to overcome his difficulties he again succumbed to despair. He allowed difficulties to overwhelm him and, as a way out, he once again closed down.
Persons like Mohan who hop from one job to another without making a determined bid to succeed never cover themselves with glory. To woo the deity of success, a person has first of all to have a clear blueprint of his dream and then pursue it with grim resolve to make it come true. It is worthwhile to bear in mind that a beautiful building, the sight of which leaves us spell-bound has required digging in the mud and working in the scorching heat of the sun to lay its foundations and to raise its superstructure.
No youngman worth his salt allows himself to be daunted by the initial difficulties. He is fully aware that when a person cowed down by difficulties is about to quit, success is usually round the corner. Quitters will do well to profit by Trotty Veck’s following sane counsel, “Don’t get discouraged; it is often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock”. W.T. Grenfell also endorses this view when he remarks, “Heroism is endurance for one moment more”.
Sometimes, a young person is cheated of success not because he lacks grit but because he allows others to determine the goal for him. One who rows the boat of life in the direction determined by others often lands himself in trouble. It is worthwhile to point out that a vegetarian at a party will never take non-vegetarian dishes, however sumptuous they are. Similarly a teetotaller will never take liquor even if fullthroated praise is lavished on the pleasures of drinking. Fixing your goal in life is of vital importance. That determines whether a person will enjoy happiness or be condemned to frustration. One should make an objective assessment of one’s assets and liabilities, tastes and distastes and then decide the destination one wants to reach. Like borrowed garments, life’s goal if determined by others rarely paves the way to happiness.
A young man who aspires to go up in life must imbibe the truth that talent at best ensures entry into a profession but it is tact that prevents stagnation and assures a smooth climb. In simple words blend of tact and talent spells success. Try and watch the results. Surely you will get a pleasant surprise.
GOOD MORNING
HAVE A NICE DAY 👋
