#5 Don't Be A Sheep!

       

          How did you decide what you want to grow up to be? Why did you go for engineering? Why do you want a job in a big MNC? Why do you want to be in the BOD one day? 

          Can you answer all these questions truthfully? Did you actually want to do all this? Or was it because your parents wanted you to do all this? Or was it because you wanted to preserve your 'izzat' before your friends and teachers? Was there something else that you were really good at and had dreamt of pursuing it as your career?

          Over the years, Indians have derived a fixed formula for spending a respectful life. It somewhat goes like this-

'Score at least 85% in 12th boards, get admission in one of the elite colleges, preferably an engineering college, build a strong performance record there so that a renowned MNC will hire you straightaway, and then slog off for years together to become a 'somebody' in that company!'

Especially for the males in India, it is oxygen to abide by this formula. If they don't, they will be thrown out of the rat-race! They will have no respect in the society, they would be seen as over-smart/ dumb fools who tried to swim against the tide! 

          In India, the struggle for survival is so huge that people blindly follow the path that has been etched out by the precedents of this struggle. But the whole system sounds so stupid! No two people are same, then how can there be a common formula for achievement for them? The answer lies in people's mentality. The deep urge of becoming successful one day. This is such a wrong aim to have in life! As Aamir Khan rightly said in '3 Idiots'-

"Bachcha kabil bano, kabil ... kamyabi toh saali jhak maarke peeche bhagegi!"

          One must introspect, and know thoroughly well his strengths and weaknesses. One must know what are his talents, what can he do the best! And most importantly, one must have the courage to pursue his dreams, no matter what the world says. Remember what Aamir Khan had said?

"Just imagine if Lata Mangeshkar's father had told her she can't sing or Sachin Tendulkar was forbidden from playing cricket. Where would they be?"

 And that is why it is very important to have your own individuality and also the dedication to be able to distinctly define it. Whatever field you choose, you must marry it and romance it life-long! It would be much less tedious than doing something you don't like. Which is why, it is quoted that-

“Jis kaam me mazaa aaye, usei apna Profession banao, phir kaam kaam nahin khel lagega.”