“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
Recently I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine. He wanted to know what my goal in life was. My reply to live each day as it comes didn't satisfy him. His contention was you have to do something in life. Now how does one define "something"?
Each person has a different perspective of what that something is in life. For some it is material possessions. Their goals are promotion, providing for the family, buying a house, buying a car, basically advancing up in the financial world. While it is good to strive for such things, how do you know when you have achieved your goal? When is enough, enough? For some, it is contributing to the success of their business/company. It is all well and good if the person is the owner of such establishment, else it is a borrowed goal. Some want to contribute to the building of a futuristic society. A noble intention but a thankless one.
So what is the real purpose behind all these goals? What is it that we are trying to achieve? Our entire life is striving to define that something - coming first in the class, getting into the top colleges, best placement selections, climbing the corporate ladder - to what end? As Mahatma Gandhi said, the destination does not matter. It is the path that we take that matters. And going back to my roots to quote the Bhagvad Gita:
"Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,
Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani"
Or simply put - do your duty, don't worry about the goal. Live each day as it comes, for you never know where you will be tomorrow. You must have heard this: "Don't cry over the past, its gone. Don't stress about the future, it hasn't arrived. Live in the present and make it beautiful".
And if feel that you have not achieved anything in life (as my friend was kind enough to point out):
"Kal aur aayenge nagmon ki
Khilti kaliyan chun-ne wale
Mujhse behtar kehne wale
Tumse behtar sun-ne wale
Kal koi mujhko yaad kare
Kyun koi mujhko yaad kare
Masroof zamana mere liye
Kyun waqt apna barbad kare"
(Read more: http://www.lyricsoff.com/songs/main-pal-do-pal-ka-shayar-hoon.html#ixzz4ORmcu6fs)
Khilti kaliyan chun-ne wale
Mujhse behtar kehne wale
Tumse behtar sun-ne wale
Kal koi mujhko yaad kare
Kyun koi mujhko yaad kare
Masroof zamana mere liye
Kyun waqt apna barbad kare"
(Read more: http://www.lyricsoff.com/songs/main-pal-do-pal-ka-shayar-hoon.html#ixzz4ORmcu6fs)
