Is life all about winning? Or is it about experiencing?
Yes, winning feels good, no one likes to lose, no one looks forward to losing…but then, no one wins every single time.
It’s the losses that set one up for bigger wins in life. And even when they don’t, they give you invaluable experience.
Experience that you cannot obtain from books or any other form of theory. Experience that comes along with emotion, not analysis.
I had written this a year post the ISRO malfunction, when the Head of ISRO cried and was consoled by the Prime Minister. A moment that one does not get to see often, but a moment that we all have felt many times during our lives.
Don’t worry too much about reaching the goal – my own experience says that you will get there, some way or the other. But only if you leave expectations out of the way:)
One year on, the feeling lingers…
Winning is not everything, it is how one conducts oneself in defeat that matters.
The biggest scientists, the leader of over 1 billion people – are humans after all. And sometimes, it is more important to feel human, than to keep it all inside and cry.
A leader is one who stands by his people – regardless of the outcome.
And also, we do believe –
उद्योगिनं पुरुष-सिंहम् उपैति लक्ष्मीर् दैवेन देयम् इति कापुरुषा वदन्ति ।
दैवं निहत्य कुरु पौरुषम् आत्म-शक्त्या यत्ने कृते यदि न सिध्यति को ऽत्र दोषः ॥
udyoginaṃ puruṣa-siṃham upaiti lakṣmīr daivena deyam iti kāpuruṣā vadanti |
daivaṃ nihatya kuru pauruṣam ātma-śaktyā yatne kṛte yadi na sidhyati ko ‘tra doṣaḥ
Prosperity always favours men who are brave, and who work diligently. “Whatever happens is due to fate”, so say the lazy and the cowardly. One should leave the reliance on fate, and continue to work sincerely, as per one’s capabilities and talent. Even after working to the best of your ability, if you are unable to achieve success, you are not to be blamed, because you tried well.
This scene embodies this very thought 🙂
Waiting for the day when ISRO will make this a success – and that day is not very far off:)
Jai Hind!