<p>Pull yourself out of difficulties by yourself! Save yourself! Save yourself by yourself! Be not afraid. Think not how many times you fail. Never mind. Time is infinite. Go forward; assert yourself again and again, and light must come. </p>.<p>This is Swami Vivekananda’s interpretation of Chapter 6 Verse 5 from Bhagavad Gita. Reading these lines repeatedly can probably inspire us but the feel-good effect may last for a few moments. Human nature is such that we blame others and circumstances for our failure instead of believing that we possess the power to shape our destiny. It is true that the ability to develop positive thoughts, emotions and actions lies within us and by making small but significant choices in life, we can surely reach our goals. To illustrate this, I would like to narrate a true-life story. Way back in 2006, I was working in a public relations firm in Mumbai and there was a driver, Amol Thorave, in our office. </p>.<p>Our office had a fleet of cars and the drivers in their free time would huddle together, either drinking coffee or chit chatting. But Amol invariably choose to sit in the car with his head immersed in a book. Whenever he would to take me to a client’s place for a meeting, he always asked me questions related to public relations or reach for his book the moment I would step out of the car. “I didn’t know you were interested in reading story books,” I remarked one day. He smiled and clarified, “Madam, this is a text book of the PG Diploma course I am doing on public relations. Our CEO supports and encourages me in this endeavour,” he said proudly.</p>.<p>From thereon, the journey to a client’s place became more important to me than the destination as I would get inspired by his limitless thirst for knowledge and his resolve to become the person he dreamt to be. Soon, he passed his diploma exams and my boss offered him a job as a trainee PR executive. To my sheer luck, he joined my team. His perseverance to excel and earn accolades from clients and colleagues alike not only helped him scale the career ladder but taught us an important lesson that by mastering yourself, you can forge your own destiny. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words perfectly personify Amol’s life’s journey - ‘The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.’</p>
<p>Pull yourself out of difficulties by yourself! Save yourself! Save yourself by yourself! Be not afraid. Think not how many times you fail. Never mind. Time is infinite. Go forward; assert yourself again and again, and light must come. </p>.<p>This is Swami Vivekananda’s interpretation of Chapter 6 Verse 5 from Bhagavad Gita. Reading these lines repeatedly can probably inspire us but the feel-good effect may last for a few moments. Human nature is such that we blame others and circumstances for our failure instead of believing that we possess the power to shape our destiny. It is true that the ability to develop positive thoughts, emotions and actions lies within us and by making small but significant choices in life, we can surely reach our goals. To illustrate this, I would like to narrate a true-life story. Way back in 2006, I was working in a public relations firm in Mumbai and there was a driver, Amol Thorave, in our office. </p>.<p>Our office had a fleet of cars and the drivers in their free time would huddle together, either drinking coffee or chit chatting. But Amol invariably choose to sit in the car with his head immersed in a book. Whenever he would to take me to a client’s place for a meeting, he always asked me questions related to public relations or reach for his book the moment I would step out of the car. “I didn’t know you were interested in reading story books,” I remarked one day. He smiled and clarified, “Madam, this is a text book of the PG Diploma course I am doing on public relations. Our CEO supports and encourages me in this endeavour,” he said proudly.</p>.<p>From thereon, the journey to a client’s place became more important to me than the destination as I would get inspired by his limitless thirst for knowledge and his resolve to become the person he dreamt to be. Soon, he passed his diploma exams and my boss offered him a job as a trainee PR executive. To my sheer luck, he joined my team. His perseverance to excel and earn accolades from clients and colleagues alike not only helped him scale the career ladder but taught us an important lesson that by mastering yourself, you can forge your own destiny. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words perfectly personify Amol’s life’s journey - ‘The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.’</p>
