Failure just an idea

There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just an idea just as success is a stupid idea. Instead of trying to change the world, change the idea. If you just change that, everything is just great.

If you were a beggar on the street, and if you could walk into the restaurant and eat a masala dosa, this would be the height of your success! So you've gotten trapped in social situations and this idea of success is not even your idea, why am I crediting you with this? Every idea, thought, emotion or value that you have is picked up from somewhere and it rules you from within. Your religion, your society and your culture have trained you to believe that this is it.

Don't become a slave to somebody's idea; that is the first and foremost success.

Success and failure is not in the volumes of money flowing into your life; success and failure is not dependent upon the recognition that you find in the world.

You are successful with life if you know how to walk with joy even through hell.

For one who is seeing this life as a stepping stone for a larger possibility, for him there is no failure. For one who is looking at the simple events of this life itself as the goal of life, for him there is failure and success. Various situations in your life can either be used to make yourself stronger and better or you can sit and cry. This is the choice you have.

Everything it doesn't matter what happens, even the most horrific event in your life can also be used for your growth and your well-being.

The small events of your life --your business, your marriage, your children and a hundred other things are just a stepping stone. It is entirely up to you whether you go with them or without them. You may be a sanyasi or in samsara, but your goal has to be `mukthi'. Only that defines your success or failure

Invoke the warrior

Two words that I hate thinking about are `impossible' and `procrastination.' While the first makes you a cynic and a pessimist, the second leads you to the wrong side of the action likely to be taken up.

But when I came across a chapter on `What is Holding You Back?' in a book `Redesign Your Life' by Andrea Molloy, I was keen to know more about procrastination as a factor in marring one's life. The book entices you into reading it by promising that it would help you begin a life of greater power and energy.

The word procrastination has been used several times only to bring home the point how it could be so deadly.
Actually, most of us tend to procrastinate whenever we are faced with a challenging task. The weaker part and the easier-going self want to be always in the “avoid mode“, but then we regret later having missed a great chance of doing a good job.

What does one need to cast aside this trait and get into a “doing“ mode? Of course, you would say, will power and a realisation of what would happen if you put it off for some other day, maybe, as you say, a good day. But the thing is that tomorrow, to use a cliche, will never come. It has a tendency of keeping itself giving many tomorrows!

Molloy has several points to `beat' procrastination: Before you say `go', you must gather all kinds of information, materials etc. needed to work out the task; Focus only on one thing to avoid any kind of distraction; Imagine how you would feel when you have achieved your goal; To begin with, work on smaller things so that your interest is not killed right at the beginning; Think of other and more interesting ways to finish up the job; Share your goal with friends so that you get better ideas.

If these don't work, you have not yet lost a chance.

Procrastinate (!) for a fixed period and resume with new ideas and new zeal of a warrior. Think that you are in war and winning it is your only chance to stay alive!

Let the ego die

“You shall get nothing from me until you die“, said the Sufi mystic. Kabir described the concept beautifully.

“ye to ghar hai prem ka, khala ka ghar naahi; shish utare bhui dhare ta par under jaahi' (This is the house of love, not one's familiar house. Cut off your head and then alone can you enter).

They all speak of death, but this is not physical death. The death they speak of is the death of ego, death of the individual self. Because, till the ego remains, the dual identity remains and it will not be possible to be one with the divine.

Ego is the barrier that stands in the way of acceptance and surrender. Therefore, the need to emphasise the concept of death.

Ego and the mind is the twin doubting Thomases, with logic and analysis their army. They raise doubts.

They seek refuse in weighing pro and con and lead ultimately to a calculating wavering personality.

“Sansyatma vinashyati“, said Lord Krishna, when he found Arjun's mind waver and get into the web of logic ,which made him forget that he was in the battlefield to fight a decisive battle and not ponder over the consequences of the battle.

The battle did not come accidentally. It came after all alternatives had been exhausted. Then why did he suddenly develop cold feet?

The reason is his ego trying to assert itself and use immature logic when action was required. And, when he unconditionally surrendered to the Lord, his doubts vanished. This is a classical case of “death' of the ego and the . quarrelsome mind.

Sanyasins wear ochre.

This symbolises that the ego, the mind and the individual self have all been consigned to the flames, and what remains is the openness of the vast vista, which can be filled with the experience of the divine. A most noble “death“ indeed. But only a genuine look within and sincere effort and humility can one get to that stage and be in bliss forever.

Say Bye to Guilt

Guilt has a purpose. A little bit of guilt is good. It does not allow you to get into a cycle of actions that are not good for you and for others. When such an action happens, the guilt in you acts like a brake for you not to continue with the act. However, guilt is good in the right amount and only for that period of that time. If it goes beyond a limit, it eats you like a termite. If you are stuck in guilt, your mind cannot blossom; you cannot rise above.

So, you need 'skill' to get out of your guilt. But at the same time, not totally remove it from the system till you realise that you are not the doer but the total light, the wisdom, the self. Until that blossoming, a little bit of guilt serves you.

To bring about that balance, we have spiritual practices, surrendering to the divine, and faith in the higher power and self. Go into the soul, "Satchidananda"- true, blissful, the consciousness.

Let go of the event which has gone and left its shadow in the consciousness but take this sankalpa (resolution) that you will not do this action in the future.

Your very wish to repent has solved the purpose. This wish is an indication that your intellect is getting matured. Otherwise, you would not have been aware of your wrong actions.

You are innocent in the present moment. That person who did a mistake has packed off his suitcase and gone. Now inside you is a new person.

Start believing in the innocence of the present moment where the YOU in you is innocent.

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, "I will relieve you from your sins. You just surrender. Then it's my responsibility to take care of your sins. Don't worry. Drop all that you are holding onto. Drop even your dharma."

Instead, people try to get rid of their sins. The Divine will relieve you of your sins. All that you need to do is to let go of everything you are holding on to.