Untiring Efforts for Improvement

Many times while taking a flight I think back to the times when we traveled by trains. There was always an excitement associated with it – the peeping out of the window to watch the city go by, on to the lush green fields, getting off at stations, and buying books from stalls. As children, I suppose the journey was quite as important as reaching the destination. Come to think of it, it rings true even when you apply it to the next principle - Untiring efforts for Improvement. If we think of our goal as the destination and where we are as our starting point, then it makes the journey just as meaningful as – if not more than – the destination. My two cents on what I’ve taken from it.

Many people may wrongly assume that improving untiringly means working hard without taking any breaks. On the contrary, it means exactly the opposite. Taking breaks is that part of the journey where you replenish your spent energy and prepare for the next sprint. In my mind, constantly trying to force ourselves to learn and improve is what takes a toll on us. Where it gets worse is when this attempt is aimed at bettering ourselves in comparison to someone else.

It is definitely important to challenge ourselves on our views relating to business, health, philosophy, society, spirituality, and all other aspects of life, and it is equally important to set benchmarks and ideals to look at for motivation. The part where it gets tricky is being able to draw the line before it transforms into negative emotions- something that’s bound to happen all the more given the visibility social media offers us into the life of our peers.

I often think about navigating the different profiles I have worked in. They’ve all required different skill-sets, calling upon me to constantly evolve and learn new things. I then also look at myself during school days, consistently motivated and occasionally reprimanded to improve on the ranks especially when the annual “Report card” was shared. These might be stressful moment for young minds, as it is for a major part of the youth today. I realize from these two incidents that the problem is not having to consistently strive to be better, but the position in which you are while making those efforts. The feeling of fatigue rises not from the effort going into improving, but from having to constantly improve relative to someone. Whereas, having love and passion for what you’re doing makes it effortless. I feel lucky to have parents who’ve encouraged a holistic development and inculcated strong value systems which continue to remain the guiding principles.

Anything that we do that fuels our passion is automatically untiring. Forcing ourselves to be learning just to fare against someone else is not worth the effort. It will not give you the happiness and instead leave you emotionally exhausted and physically fatigued. When I find myself unsure if something is worth my time or not, I ask myself a simple question- “Are you doing this to try to improve yourself basis the positive feedback you’ve been receiving or because you are worried that someone else is doing it better than you?” For me, the intent is consistently aligned with my capabilities and actions. This is why I always try to become the best version of myself and hopefully, a differentiated version within the society.

Another important thing I believe we need is to give ourselves recognition for our accomplishments. It’s important to take a moment to look at the value we have added to our life and the difference we have created in the lives of others. Even if the change might be for a few people and not billions, it is a great feat.

It is so essential to take a step back from time to time, to slow down, and stop focusing on the goal for a minute. We need to be able to stop worrying at all times about where we are headed or how we will get there. Instead, we should spend some time with our loved ones, take in the beauty of life, get in touch with the inner child that we all have, and enjoy the small moments that life has to offer. That, I believe, is a huge step towards improving ourselves in the most untiring manner. We ought to take a train ride, once in a while.