Everyone Wants Something

 

I have often believed that “Achievement Is Inherent”

 

Everyone wants to achieve something. You, me, young, old, very old, men, women, children, working people, non working people, sinners, saints – just about everyone.

 

It could be money, position, prestige, power.. longer life, healthier life.. single life, married life… love, happiness, opportunity to serve others.. it could be spirituality, God, meaning into life.

 

Everyone lives on for some or the other fulfillment – success in some form. Some live to be rich.. some to be happy.. some to be healthy.. some to see their children be all of this. Everyone wants to experience some richness in life, even though momentarily – this is universal. However it’s these urges within us that inspire action. That decide what we do or not. These urges make our choices.

 

A lot of people argue the statement ‘Achievement is Inherent’ – some argue it as they remain confused – in the meaning of achievement – treating it synonymously with wealth alone. Some argue it because a deeper discussion shows them the mirror they do not wish to see. Some argue because they aren’t able to answer some questions related to this – The questions by the way, whenever I have delivered a talk on the subject or discussed it in a coaching relationship, have been very relevant..

 

How does one develop ambition when she isn’t ambitious? How can I motivate myself, I don’t feel it? How to develop initiative or action when it’s not happening automatically? How to set goals, I don’t have them? I don’t want to achieve anything special in life (though I never said ‘special achievement’ is inherent), I just want to live, why are you provoking me, there isn’t anything?

 

The answer to all these question is very simple – “go develop the desire first”

 

But then how and why do you develop desire? Where to start?

 

There is a very straightforward truth. You and I have the same opportunities as any man or woman who has ever lived on Earth, in any part of it, and have brought their desires into reality. Any reality that you see around you – any dream you see realized by anyone living or dead, is and was yours to take. Someone took it not because somebody had to – but because they wanted to.

 

I wrote very recently an article titled Reality is Embarrassingly Simple. Often the search for desire, or success or achievement is very simple too. It’s probably so obvious that you can’t see it. But when you do search for it, I can guarantee, it will be found in an embarrassingly obvious position.

 

I am not talking about ‘achieving the impossible’ or doing some great things here. You might well do that too. I am very simply referring to finding desire. It can be big or it may be very small. It’s all - relative. No matter what it is – it will be monumental as far as you are concerned.

 

When people ask those questions and ask where to start looking for desires, I really don’t have an answer. I am learning myself. But I can say this – everyone will find it in his or her very simple, obvious place. Within them.  A very good place to start are the things you think of doing after you will accomplish something else. 80% of us will find it here. Another very obvious, though not a simple realization to accept, very simple to explore but very difficult to accept, place is the past. Just examine the compromises you made at different stages of life. Trace them back. Each compromise led to a change in your approach, in your ways. Each compromise had logic behind it. Each compromise was meant to make life simple and correct. It probably did. Each compromise had norms to adjust to. Each compromise had fulfillment of another kind to adhere to. Each compromise also killed a desire or a state of being. Each compromise of a personal nature also killed even greater ambitions and goals. So to those who wonder not having ambition or a ‘big’ goal – often a place to explore or a question to ask is – Where did I kill it? Now look in the most obvious, simple place? Look no further than, in most cases, than an arms distance.

 

Search for your desires because when you do search for desires something wonderful happens – you acquire knowledge, you gain experience, you become inspired. You gather insights and all other ingredients for success. But most of all you gain peace.

 

Let me narrate a true story.

 

I remember sometime back visiting a slum area in Delhi. This was years ago. As I walked around the area on a Sunday morning and found a lot of people and small organizations helping the inhabitants – I sat on a rock next to a young girl.

 

“What’s your name?” I asked

 

“Shalini” she replied.

 

The girl’s mother, a participant in one of the courses I taught, who had invited me there was seated nearby on the next stone. She was supervising the list for a doctor to see patients.

 

We started talking  and the mother told me about Shalini – “Shalini is six years old. For the first four years of her life, she was unable to walk. She was a cripple. We didn’t have enough money to treat her. Dr. Reddy told me that Shalini had a nerve blockage. He also told me, his NGO, treats patients for free in this area.”

 

She went quiet after this. Probably recounting in her mind how she might have come here to visit the doctor. Probably replaying her struggles. I simply waited.

 

‘Chetan I want you to know…” .. and after a long pause…. “this is the only place where I can feel the presence of God. So am here every week.”

 

When she finished, she was trying very hard to hide her emotions. The little girl who couldn’t walk the first four years of her life, walked over and sat on her mother’s lap, hugging her.

 

As I continued to walk through that area, I was quite fortunate to meet Dr. Reddy. I have met him a few times since. Over the years there is something I realized about Dr. Reddy – its his driving desire that refuses to die down. Dr. Reddy at that time was 89 years of age. He was full of life. His generous, dedicated, self-sacrificing desire could not be held down, no matter what. However to realize a desire – it must be combined with ambition and action.

 

Yes, it sounds magical. There is magic in desire. Yet, magic, is, but a skill. Magic is in the hands of the magician. It’s in your hands. It’s your choice to search or disregard. Be aware though either ways you are choosing your destiny. Destiny is not discovering you.

 

There is an old Hindu legend that states that when God were making the world, they said: “Where do we hide the most valuable of treasures so they will not be lost? How can we hide them from the lust and greed of the men who will be tempted to steal them rather than discovering them?? What can we do to ensure that these riches will be passed on from mankind to mankind and through generations to come?”

 

So in their wisdom they selected a hiding place so obvious that it wouldn’t be seen. And there they placed the true riches of life.

 

This hiding place therefore can be found by every living person who can then unleash the treasure.

 

It’s right there. Close your eyes and look. Look within.

 

yours,

Chetan Walia

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