Your silence is their tranquility

“I am planning to prepay the car loan, so I could finally be debt free.”

Many years ago, I told my plans to an old colleague en route to office. I was chauffeuring them, because they had suffered a fracture in their leg recently.

“I’d rather have you continue the car loan,” he suggested.

This colleague knew that once I would get rid of the loan, I would also think about quitting this very job; and then go build something of my own—be a writer, speaker, author, everything.

At the same time, he did not want to let go of someone who was a great contributor to the team.

Last week, as I saw the viral interview of Mr. Javed Akhtar, I (along with more than a million viewers) were caught in awe. He told how all the art, literature, poetry, etc. were the vocal cords of the society.

When we stay silent about our art, the world gets its tranquility.

When we do not express ourselves through our art, the world gets its own share of people who follow the herd. Just like no one knows where the herd is heading towards, people just keep following. So when someone else also enters that herd, people get a validation. Even though no one still knows where we are headed, now we are a bunch of clueless people, instead of being alone.

Misery really does love company.

But we aren’t here in this world just to be miserable.

Yes, for a lot of people a job is necessary to pay their bills and even afford luxuries. And that’s fine.

However, art is the oxygen that makes life worth living.

You might be admitted in the best hospital, being treated by the best doctors, have the best family and colleagues, but if your body is on ventilator, all you need is oxygen.

Oxygen is step zero.

Art is exactly that.

Reminds me of how most of us go to US, Dubai or Singapore for our work; but if we want to explore art, we book a ticket to somewhere in Europe or Japan. Or even the best things in in US, Dubai and Singapore (outside of business), are works of art—Changi airport, Marina Bay sands, Burj Khalifa, New York Public library—the list is literally endless.

So, my friend, go create your art.

Write that book. Or your memoir.

Share with the world through your book how you created your business.

Paint that fluid art painting that makes you come alive.

Dance to the songs that you can’t stop dancing to.

Sign up for that piano class, because you cannot not think of piano.

Whether to make your art full-time or let it remain just a hobby is a choice for you.

But the non existence of art is a fatal choice.

Let me share the example of my Mom. She is 65, and sometimes gets tired quickly. I have pleaded with her multiple times to get a full-time help, however, she says she will cook her and Dad’s food no matter what. Because she loves cooking.

Whenever she has time, she also stitches covers for gas cylinder, atta chakki, and a lot of other appliances at home.

She doesn’t “rest and chill” because it would heal her body.

She pursues her “art” because it would heal her soul.

And yes, through some trial and error, we are sometimes able to beg her to not exert herself so much :)

If you are also someone who doesn’t know what their art is, one useful way is of course to write a book about something you are passionate about. (It's just me staying true to the theme of this newsletter, bro :)

Or, as Paul Graham says, "The way to figure out what to work on is by working."

"Develop a habit of working on your own projects. Don't let "work" mean something other people tell you to do," Graham continues, because no one can ask you to do great work.

Art, in itself, is a project of getting out of your own way. Like Paul Graham rightly said, "if you do manage to do great work one day, it will probably be on a project of your own."

Which reminds me of a phenomenal YouTube channel “Ajay Sahaab aur Rajesh Singh ALFAAZ AUR AAWAAZ”.

They perform old Hindi songs in concerts, and the lyrics are often the eliminated versions of the original songs. It brings such joy to listen to them, that you cannot just listen to one song on their channel. PS: They are also unlike most people in this ghor kaliyug. Seem very sorted, simple, and away from the dust and fumes of the capitalist society. Thank God. :)

Imagine if they hadn’t stayed true to their art and tried to become like DJ waale Babu :(

What a loss to them, and to the society.

The world craves for your unique art, even if (especially if) no one is making it.

So, my friend, shun all the knowledge you get on social media, if it is about fitting in.

Take some time to listen to yourself daily. In there lies your art and your heart.

And always remember, the world comes alive through people who put their art into the world, not through the ChatGPT generated comments on LinkedIn posts :))

Oh, btw, do you not want to know what happened to that colleague who suggested me to continue?

Well, I resigned a few months after that. After being debt free of course :) A few weeks into my resignation, two people in the higher management almost convinced me to retract my resignation. I was about to, when I called the same colleague, just to confirm.

His response: "Don’t ever do that."

It was particularly surprising because few months back he wanted me to be in that job.

The world turns on your side when you choose the side of the art.

Again, no way I am suggesting to quit your job right now. But art can co exist with job. It isn’t as possessive, controlling and insecure like a job.

Art is liberating, self-assured, and accommodative.

Reminds me of what CS Lewis wrote to his Goddaughter:

"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairytales again."

I hope you are too :)