We don’t always get what we want. Some of us are happy with what we
get, and others remain dissatisfied. Still others keep trying. Which
approach would be the right one? I will recommend another approach.
You can have a desire. Put in your best effort to fulfil it. But make
sure you enjoy the effort rather than its fruits. Celebrate the march
towards the destination. If the destination is reached, we will be
happy.
Even if it is not reached, nobody can take away the sense of thrill
at having run the race, the delicious fatigue felt along the whole body.
My happiness is derived not from reaching a goal, but from the struggle
I wage as part of my attempt at reaching it. Suppose I feel I will be
happy only if you give me a thundering ovation when I conclude my
lecture. That means I am not fully enjoying my teaching, rather, my mind
is set on a particular goal. That very concern may prevent me from
giving my best to my teaching and, thus, act as a barrier to my
attaining the goal.
Playing football is one kind of joy, winning is another kind. The
problem is, we identify joy exclusively with winning. Classical
musicians are so absorbed in their performance that for all practical
purposes, they are unmindful of the audience, the applause at climactic
point, or the money they will receive from the organisers at the end.
What they enjoy is their involvement in bringing their art alive, not
the end-result in the form of ovation or payment. So, enjoy the
process. Enjoy the travel. Enjoy the endeavour.
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