Page 86 - #letter to son

#SangamNiti SUNSET CONTEMPLATIONS
it is from the result of knowing the self, and this realisation is a matter
of experience and experience alone. Life is all about learning from
experiences, circumstances and situations. It is about learning from a
crisis to prepare you better for the next.

I’ve always held the view that personal exploration is vital to navigate
and succeed in the dynamic world of today. There is never a standard
template you can follow for assured success. The way you solve your
issues is also unique to you and there is no guaranteed assurance that
if you’re able to solve something today, you’ll also succeed in doing the
same tomorrow. I find it strange that everyone wants to copy someone
else in an exam in which everyone has a different question paper. So if
you create a benchmark for success pegged to external sources, you’re
never going to get it. You are bound to get disappointed. Hence, self-
motivation is most important to achieve your own goals in life.

Speaking about self-starters, I feel that the most motivated lot today
are the entrepreneurs. The truest among them are not concerned or
bothered about how the society reacts to their dreams and aspirations.
They do not let this negativity get in the way of their dreams. They’re
never distracted from their goals. For, they can see ahead – much ahead –
of the others in terms of how their work will impact the society and help
meet an important challenge the world faces. Businesspeople learn the
fine art of steadying their mind and are just like artists, scientists, poets
and musicians who shine in their profession through concentration
of mind. However, it is sometimes seen that entrepreneurs get carried
away in the valuations frenzy, getting distracted by extravagance when
they should actually be bootstrapping their way to growth. A lavish jet-
setting lifestyle is a trap that they fail to see or recognise. Take the case
of a prominent global automobile executive who is languishing behind
bars on alleged financial embezzlement. Or even the founder of a
prominent shared mobility company who was ousted out of his own
organisation for purported mismanagement.

On the other hand, examples also abound of gentlemen who top Forbes
wealth charts regularly, yet live a simple life in simple homes. They travel
economy class in planes and drive ordinary cars. They value simplicity

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