Aim higher to achieve more!
by Vincent Van Ross
The whole world can be broadly divided into two categories of people: achievers and admirers. There are those that are crowned with success and achievements in life. And, then, there are those who fail to do what the achievers do. They end up being admirers of the achievers.
The fact of the matter is that those who think of themselves as people who cannot achieve things in life and turn into admirers can themselves achieve a great deal.
It is a question of grit and determination. It is a question of will to achieve something. It is a question of being ready to do more than what an average person is willing to do. It is a question of putting in an extra effort. That sums up the difference between achievers and admirers.
Students who attend classes regularly, do their homework, take extra classes and burn their midnights oil make the grade. Those who take things lightly and do not work hard enough fall by the wayside. Here, the difference is in the determination to make the grade and willingness to put in that extra effort to achieve it.
You may not be the best student in your class. Your ranking might be 20 out of 60 students. If you are complacent, you may cling to that position. That is, if you are fortunate enough. Otherwise, you may slip further down in ranking. But, if you aim for the first rank and prepare for the examination accordingly, you may climb several ranks higher even if you dont make it to the first place.
If you want to go for a 4-km walk in the morning, dont start thinking that you have to return from the second kilometre mark. Instead, make up your mind to walk up to the third kilometre mark. That way you would be preparing yourself for a 6-km walkthree kilometres one way and back! If you set a four kilometre target for a 4-km walk, the odds are that you may feel tired and exhausted before you complete those four kilometres. But, if you set a 6-km target and do a 4-km walk, your energy level at the end of the four kilometres is likely to be higher. This is purely psychological. But, it works!
What is it that helps mountaineers climb up high peaks? Are they any different from us? Are they made of some different stuff? No, they are also made of the same five elements that we are made of. But, what distinguishes them from us is that they are determined and they do not give up easily. They keep going even after the stage at which an average man would give up.
Believe me, the human body is a storehouse of energy. We never use our energy levels to the fullest. Our energy is like the fuel in the petrol tank of our vehicles. The vehicle comes to a halt when we have used a certain quantity of petrol. That means it is time to refuel and replenish our stock. We think we have exhausted the stock of petrol in the petrol tank. But, there is some petrol left in the tank which is actually the reserve stock to bail us out of tight situations. We seldom use it. But, it is there. So is the case with the human body. We think we are sapped of all energy, when there is still some energy in reserve.
Take this example. I went shopping one day. I walked for nearly three hours at a stretch. When I was about a hundred yards away from my home, I felt absolutely exhausted. I thought my feet had turned into feet of clay. I thought my feet would give way under my weight. I thought I could not move another inch. At that moment, I heard a dog bark behind me. I was startled. He barked again and gave chase. I started running. I was mortally afraid of dog bites. In minutes I had not only covered the hundred yards but also climbed 32 steps of my staircase to my house before I felt safe!
That incident taught me a big lesson in life. It taught me that we have more energy than we think. Out potential energy is always a lot more than our kinetic energy. It is a question of believing in it and pushing ourselves that extra bit.
If we are happy with a half-century in cricket, we may never get around to scoring a hundred. But, if we aim for a double century, the odds are that we may score a century some time. When we decide to do something, the vibrations generated by our decision conspire to make that happen. They push us. The energy in the whole universe is pooled in to give effect to our decision.
The important thing is to set our goals at a higher level than what we want to achieve. The important thing is to decide. The important thing is to believe in ourselves and our capabilities. And, then, set out to achieve those goals.
If we aim for a hundred per cent, we may fall short of it. But, if we aim for more than that, we may get there!
The writer is a cultural commentator and editor based in New Delhi.
