Live Life Pragmatically

Life is not a Classroom of Moral Science

Learn to live................ if not to prosper

Gayatri Patel

and

Manoj K Patel

                                                                               

There is a saying, where I read I do not remember, – “there are many people who have succeeded in business without a management degree but there is no one who has succeeded without commonsense”

So this small article is on few of such points that life has taught me during the last 56 years. Yes life is a struggle, but it is worth struggling. But make your life path very clearly defined. Peace is one thing and material possession is another; and believe me this is just not a statement. I will not put any example for the points I have brought up here, but one live example I would like to quote that – I have seen a student of Prof Maria Mayer; the American German Theoretical Physicist and Noble Laureate; who himself is a Theoretical Physicist, is now 80 years old and is an retired Professor from NIT, Rourkela, India is so simple and down to earth that it is difficult to believe that human being like him are still walking on this earth. He does not possess anything other than books, to my knowledge. Name is Professor Dr Tej Narayan Tiwari. I am fortunate that he graced me as his disciple.

Now let us come to the “points” to ponder over. My sincere request is to contemplate and find out examples and instances from your own experiences in profession and/or daily lives.

1)        Make your efficient moves most carefully.

Just because you are capable of fixing a long pending problem, especially in your new place of work, do not fix it immediately. Do analyse and find out for 200% surety that - whether it is not fixed by others because they were not capable of fixing it or they have deliberately kept it pending. In most of the instances it is the later – it is deliberately kept pending. And if that is the reason and still you are advancing to fix it, then surely you are creating enemies for yourself on whole-sale basis. Life will be difficult for you in the work place.

2)        Understand the hidden agenda.

At many an instances you will find that certain “obvious steps” will solve the problem for once and all. But those particular “obvious steps” are not getting taken, not now but for a long time. You are in a mirage if you have not understood that there is a hidden agenda behind this hanging and pending problem. Most possibly you are not supposed to know the details of that hidden agenda unless your life or career is at stake.

3)        “Whistle blowing” is good concept for theoretical Management Classes.

Do not try to become a whistle blower in real life. You will displease many and surely you will put yourself and your family in to real difficulties. Remember, most often than not, whistle blowers end of their life and career very miserably.

4)        Honesty is the best policy, but it is a real corrupt world.

So you should be carrying two guts to remain honest. You certainly will get and continue to get a good sleep every night compared to dishonest people, but never think of getting material comforts by leading an honest life. Never try to equalise an honest path with peaceful path. Honesty you are following will very likely give you a difficult life.

5)        Read between the lines.

Only parents (no exception and no inclusion to this list) speak straight words. All others including your best friends give you hints and in many cases not even hints. Try to read between the lines and make appropriate moves lest you could be in to real trouble. Problem in this world is that – you never know who is praying for you and who is playing with you. 

6)        Silent colleagues are dangerous.

Silence is most difficult to understand and more often silent persons are black sheep. Emotions are to be expressed and emotions get reflected in the face in various forms like, anger, smile, laugh, sarcasm, cry and so on. Emotion can never be expressionless. Anyone who is just expressionless and stone faced in every situation is certainly a wolf. You will never be able to understand what the guy is contemplating.

7)        Watch action behind silence.

When you are in a “one to one” discussion then both of you are supposed to be speaking. But if you observe that the other person is only listening and not speaking anything or speaking very less, then be sure that he is not listening to you, but he is either collecting information from you or he is recording your statements. Never converse with such personalities. They can push you in to the precipice of no return points.

There is a famous Sun Temples known as Konark Temple in the Odisha state of India. In this temple the idol of “Sun God” was placed in “swinging position” by precise engineering of magnetic forces created by two strong magnets; one magnet was placed at the top of the temple dome and the other magnet was placed on the floor of the temple. Legend has it that the architect, named  Dharmapada, who made this wonder possible had to commit suicide soon after the completion of the job lest the Chief Architect, who happened  to be Dharmapada’s father would have got death penalty by the King.

All seven points can be nicely co-related to this fact of life of Dharmapada and to realize that life is not the moral science class.

Live your life as per the demand of the time. After all you have got familial responsibilities too to complete.

All the Best!!!!!!!

Gayatri and Manoj