"What Makes you come Alive"

Mark Twain once said, 'The two most important days in our life are the day we are born and the day we find out why.'

This article is not a spiritual discourse but an anecdote about that second day. Many of us possess above-average intelligence, which facilitates the acquisition of more than sufficient wealth to lead a luxurious life. However, once we accumulate enough money, our chosen professions can lose their sense of purpose. In many cases, the generation preceding us endured financial insecurity due to various factors, such as migrating from different regions of the country and transitioning from farming to employment. This instilled a deep-seated sense of financial insecurity, leading to a strong desire for a guaranteed income framework for the next generation. Consequently, the norm became grooming and forcing their children into specific fields through education and societal influence.

We inherited this social framework and adapted to this mentality; with our above-average intelligence, financial stability was well within reach. As we progressed along this path, we earned more and got motivated to earn more. Ultimately, at a certain age or stage in life, there came a point when monetary concerns ceased to dominate our thoughts when we have accumulated enough corpus, children got settled and started earning on their own. For many, the desire to accumulate more and more wealth may be paramount, and so the pursuit of money as a primary goal continues to bring them happiness. Yet somewhere within, a sense of emptiness and frustration start developing, shadowing the sense of happiness after reaching financial independence, especially when the home becomes an empty nest.

There were times when we were driven more by our dreams, passions, interests, and hobbies than their financial aspects, but these got deeply buried under the pressures of pursuing the forced path. But do remember that they were buried, not removed or eradicated. So for those whose dreams were not primarily financial, the echoes or seeds of their unfulfilled desires start resurfacing. We may choose to ignore these calls by labelling them immature or citing different reasons, but actually, they are the ones whose fulfilment will give us a renewed sense of purpose with a lot of happiness and satisfaction. Determining how much money is truly enough for oneself and one's family becomes crucial because, until this threshold is defined, an endless and purposeless struggle can lead to frustration.

As the saying goes, 'Excess of everything should be avoided,' and this principle undoubtedly extends to the ambitious drive for the pursuit of money. It reminds us that while financial security is essential, it should not eclipse our deeper aspirations, potentials, and dreams.

Let me also put my point forward with the help of a story (which I just thought of) based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Imagine a family living in a five-story building. These family members, much like children, inhabited the first floor. Here, in their formative years, they revelled in the simple joys of life. They played, laughed, and grew, all the while learning the art of survival.

As they matured, their diverse temperaments led them down their distinct paths. They learned to study, struggle, snatch, or do hard work to attain and secure their livelihoods, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, and even primal desires.

But there's a catch: they were not alone; a bunch of rats scuttled about, drawing the children's attention all the time. The children got engaged in chasing these rodents and, in doing so, became captives at ground level.

However, among the kids, a select few began to perceive that chasing rats wasn’t getting them anywhere. These individuals sought something more, something beyond the relentless and futile pursuit of rodents. They ascended to the second floor, where life unfolded differently. Here, in the showcases, they found glimpses of better jobs, careers, personal and health security, insurance, and the prospect of accumulating wealth and resources. The guiding principle on this floor was to set short-term goals and work your tail off to grab those things one by one.

The teenagers and young adults embraced the challenge with fervour striving to amass these endless treasures. On this floor, a remarkable green rat caught their attention, leaping from one desire to another, illuminating their ambitions. The young adults were consumed by this quest, pouring their time and energy into the ruthless hunt. They tasted the highs of achievement and the lows of failure, navigating a roller coaster of emotions.

While most are stuck chasing that green rat, a handful of wise folks decided to keep climbing. They hit the third floor, where the showcases were adorned with things like relationships, familial bonds, friendship, intimacy, belongingness, and connection. But here too, there's a brown rat, doing its own little hop-and-skip routine from one desire to the next.

People, now driven by social norms, etiquette, customs, and traditions, pursued these goals passionately. They discovered love, formed deep friendships, joined various groups and organisations, and felt a great sense of belonging. Life seemed good here, and they didn't really see a need to climb any higher.

But here's the twist: that brown rat sometimes slinks back down to the lower floors, ensnaring the folks in a never-ending chase across all three levels. People were running in circles, chasing desires left and right; their time and energy were becoming wholly consumed by these manoeuvres.

But hang on, there's more! Some of those folks on the third floor realised that rat racing was a bit too much. Hence, they decided to venture even higher, reaching the fourth floor.

People on this level drafted bucket lists, unleashed their creativity, and pursued side hustles and startups alongside their primary careers. They became coaches and consultants, dabbled in organic farming, participated in marathons, played other sports, became yoga and fitness coaches, learned salsa and other forms of dance, authored books, went on world tours, went on biking expeditions, went hiking, explored new hobbies, and the list went on.

They advanced to this stage while feeling extremely happy, proud of themselves, and appreciated by their loved ones. Some of them rose to fame as actors and motivational speakers. Some even transitioned entirely from their previous careers to follow their newfound passions. Realising their full potential, they fulfilled their dreams, aspirations, and accomplished goals that they had always had but were unable to due to their struggles on other levels of life.

On that floor, there were no specific rats to chase; people were calling the shots and following their own free will. Yet, a singular threat loomed—a devious grey rat could show up anytime, anywhere.

That rat might cause sudden accidents, natural disasters, epidemics, the loss of loved ones, or even falling victim to fraud or crime, sending those folks tumbling back down to the lower levels.

Obviously, you must have gauged by now that this story isn't just about some random family in a building. It's a reflection of our own lives and the different stages we go through. You might be nodding along, seeing a bit of yourself and your peers at each level. But guess what? The building has five floors, and there's one more to explore.

The majority of people choose to remain content on the fourth floor, content with the belief that there is nothing more to discover. Only a rare few, those who ponder questions about the purpose of life, what lies beyond, who owns and manages this grand structure, and what has become of those on the lower floors, dare to ascend further.

Such brave hearts reach the topmost floor, only to find it barren of material possessions. Instead, this floor is dedicated to unravelling life's purpose and seeking answers to profound questions. In this pursuit, there are no right or wrong answers; the journey itself becomes enlightening. Some individuals find their purpose in spiritual enlightenment, while others establish NGOs, welfare organisations for humans, animals, and the environment, or even enter politics and leadership roles to serve others.

Life's purpose is always bigger than us, even bigger than our immediate family and friends’ circles. It's all about selfless service to humanity and the world. It’s a call we all get but conveniently push aside. Also, achieving spiritual enlightenment stands as one of the ultimate goals of human existence. In this rarified realm, there are no rats to chase, and people follow the path of their own choice

.So, what's the point of this whole story, you ask? Well, it's a little message wrapped up in symbolism, based on Maslow's hierarchy of human needs. Those rats? They symbolise our compulsive habits and desires, always chasing more, even when we've got plenty. They are a reminder that the endless pursuit of wealth and fame can keep us stuck on the lower levels and hinder our ascent to higher levels of human existence.

Through this story, I want to remind you—yes, you, the one doing well in life, be it in your job, business, or any other role—to take a step back and think about where you're headed in this grand adventure called life. Are you caught up in the rat race, chasing after things you might not even need or already have enough of? The core point here is to make you aware of that race, the one that might be keeping you from exploring your full potential, living your dreams, and attaining true self-awareness.

So I leave you with this question to ask yourself,

“WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU COME ALIVE?”

(This article was published in the Forcenet E-Zine Oct 2023, Vol V, Issue 10 https://www.forces-network.com/forcenetezine )