Never Race, Never Again

• By vishwa on Health, Inspiration

• February 23, 2015

“Successful people have libraries.  The rest have big screen TVs.”  Jim Rohn.  I posted this quote in Facebook a few days ago.  However, I questioned asking what is success?  Isn’t success genuinely relative?

On a similar note, I read an article on rat race titled Never Race, Never Again in the local newspaper—Deccan Herald.   In this intelligent article the author Sheila Kumar states the pitfalls of indulging in a rat race.   She says, “whether we like to admit it or not, most of us are certified participants in a mindless rat race where the ‘finish’ line is nowhere in sight.  However, there are few who have willingly dropped out of the frantic carousel ride and are living quiet, satisfied lives.”

Also, she quotes Ruskin Bond who says, in the book titled Love Among the Bookshelves, “I have mentioned my antipathy to running races.  Why bother to come first when, with less effort, you can come in last and be none the worse for it?  There is no law against coming in last.”

The author of the article explains how being in the top slot, to own expensive cars, jets, mansion, and what not looks paramount.  The list might still continue.  It has no end, whatsoever.  Success she suggests, ironically, is not measured in our terms, but the world’s.

However, she says that in the other end of the spectrum you find people who listen to their inner voice and back off from the rat race.   She quotes a management consultant, investor, columnist Mohit Satyanand who calls himself a part time mountain dweller and a full time maverick.  He says, “Recently I was at IIM Ahmedabad, briefing a group of students about a property rights project.  When we were done, they took me to chai and asked me about my life in the mountains, my life in theatre.  One said to me:  “I can also say that I want to go and live in the mountains.  But who will let me?”

“Remember this,” I told him, “You need no one’s permission to be yourself.”  But the next question is how many of us have the guts to be ourselves?  A handful, perhaps!  Nonetheless, when we look at the lives of the ‘handful’ we are inspired.  It is not so with the people who are in the rat race.  They dwell in a dull and bland life.  Perhaps, the inspiration derived from the ‘handful’ is short-lived.   Nonetheless, imagine the motivation gained transpires into a life changing experience.  I believe that is the need of the hour.

Well, you may ask me “What is this blog entry doing in a fitness domain?”  Someone said, “A sound mind exists in a sound body.”