10 Lessons from my life
#1 Time is the most valuable currency spend it intelligently
Every second that we lived does not come back. So time is not something we can buy back who ever you are, whether you a billionaire, millionaire…. As Once Dr APJ Abdul Kalam told there is one thing which every body has in equal. That is 24 hours every day. Whether you drive a Lamborghini or you drive a scooter, it does not matter you have 24 hours a day. So time is the most valuable asset you have. When people say that “I am bored”, I can only say that they forget the fact they are not utilising those precious minutes or hours. When you have a happy and contended life then every moment starts becoming important to you, because you want to live every moment of life. So live every moment….
#2 Every coin earned has a story of hard work so spend prudently
There is a saying “Every dollar saved is one dollar earned” . Somebody has put hardwork to earn every penny that you possess. If you are son or daughter and spending money earned by your parents, think that there is story of hard work written on it. Today everybody thinks there is directly proportional relationship between money spend and happiness. That is more because all the economies seem to prosper based on consumption, which could be local or global. So the ask is to keep consuming. But factually there is no relationship between money spend and happiness, beyond a point.
Money helps in satisfying Abraham Maslow’s need hierarchy
Law of marginal returns is something which applies to money being spent. But when you have saved money then that gives you liberty to spend the most precious asset you have with you time, the way you want. For me that is the greatest happiness.
If you consider ‘Self Actualisation’ in need hierarchy, most often it does not come by spending money and you can see that it is in the top of the pyramid.
Quote by Warren Buffett on savings
“Do not save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving.”
If you have surplus even after saving contribute to the society. Please realise that beyond threshold law of marginal diminishing returns kicks in…..
#3 Every opportunity coming your way may take you closer to your goal
I really believe in this quote above. Opportunities can be inflection points in your life. Let me tell you an example. After completing my PG in Mechanical Engineering, I got placed in Tata Consultancy Services. While I was working there based out of Chennai, I saw this ad in news paper that VeriFone which was pioneer in transaction automation was coming to Chennai for placement. Ad told there will be written test in programming and computer science principles, followed by multiple rounds of interview. Since I had not done formal academics in Computer Science, I thought I will not qualify. So I threw the paper cutting into dustbin. But something told me that this an opportunity, take it!!!!
Get Things That Matter....’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
I was preparing myself in C/C++ programming, OS internals, Databases, etc. So I took a plunge and I became successful. This lead to me getting an opportunity to work in software product development. This completely changed my path in career. Had I not prepared myself and hesitated to take the opportunity, things would have been different.
#4 Every relationship happen because there is time invested from both sides
Relationships are important and are two way paths. Why are relationships important? One of our needs is love and belonging. You feel there is somebody out there who cares about you and you care about. But relationships do not come by without effort and time invested. Say you have a blood relation, that does not mean you have a relationship with him/her. Relationship happens where there is mutual respect, mutual empathy and mutual interest in spending time with each other without any expectations in return. Relationship could be at different levels — professional, personal, family, neighbour,…. All of them have different shades, it is not black and white, but different shades of grey. You don’t find those deep, strong relationships often, and those need investment of time. You need to put that earnest effort to know person on the other side.
This is quote I strongly believe in. I will never changed my personality or my way of living to make a relationship happen. It has to happen organically and the person on the other side which could be your sibling, wife, friend, etc. accept you the way you are.
#5 Every experience is gift life gives you to make your life more colourful
Experience could be as simple as watching rain sipping a cup of hot tea, or fulfilment you get when you architect a good piece of software, it could be talking to a monk when you visited a temple, could be eating a new delicious cuisine which you have never tried before, could be a scenic drive through western ghats in India or through those villages in Swiss Alps valleys, evening strolls which you had with your father. Each experience is unique and is a gift. It adds colour to your life, gives you new perspectives. Life is nothing but sum total of all our experiences and experience you have is unique because what you experience has to also do with your inner self. That is why many of these experiences you cannot put in words.
#6 What matters is process followed to achieve good results, not the result itself
This is an important sloka from Bhagavat Gita. This is what Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in Mahabharatha. It is says, ”You have the right to perform your work, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your labor”. The verse emphasises the importance of performing one’s duty without being attached to or motivated by the results.
This is a very good quote from MS Dhoni erstwhile India cricket team captain. I have always tried to follow this. Today there is always a tendency to only focus on the results which could be profits, beating competition, etc. But what is key is the process and small steps that you take daily towards your goal.
There should also be emphasis on how you will improve these processes every cycle. This is principle called Kaizen which was followed very meticulously by Toyota which lead to their success in coming up with amazing automobiles.
#7 Live in the present
I see many people lamenting on past or being anxious about future. Both are making your present moment less productive. Let me share a quote by Oogway a character in my favourite movie Kunfu Panda.
Such a simple quote, but has very deep meaning. My father during my evening strolls with him on weekends used to talk about principle of “Present moment fulfilment”. When you live your present you make the best use of your present moment. You could take lessons you learned from past when you take decisions in present. We should never forget what you do in present is what makes your future. This a good write up on why overthinking can exhaust you.
#8 Never miss a chance to smile
Smile is probably one of the most beautiful expression that our face has. It brings happiness with in and gives happiness to someone who sees you smiling. The act of smiling, even forced, triggers brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, boosting mood and reducing stress (cortisol). People seem more serious these days, due to increased global awareness from the internet, economic pressures (debt, healthcare costs), the overwhelming nature of constant stimuli, and the curated, often stressful environment of social media, leading to heightened anxiety, responsibility, and a feeling of powerlessness. But by looking serious nothing changes. You will be perceived a difficult person to deal with. Keep it light and keep smiling and let that dopamine and serotonin flow. But when you smile be sincere. Often we have tendency to be judgemental, and I also hear some people say that people who smile and laugh are perceived as weak. But it is not statistically proven :) So keep smiling…..
#9 Never forget place your parents and teachers have in your life
Life’s biggest endeavour is discovering yourself. Please find one of my favourite quote from Loard Buddha. Discovering your world is of utmost importance. Parents played very key role in helping you discover your world. They have helped you by guiding you through out your life, helping you to discover your strengths, your weaknesses. They passed on key values which are principles which imbibed from them and follow through out your life. Then there some teachers, not all. Not all teachers can be a Guru. (See this write up on what I mean by a Guru)
That is why we have this saying in Sanathana Dharma — “Matha Pitha Guru Deivam”. What this means is parents are the first gods for giving life, the Guru (teacher) leads to spiritual knowledge, and Deivam (God) represents the ultimate self-realization or divine consciousness.
#10 Be one with nature
The Sanskrit phrase “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” means “the world is one family”. It is a philosophy from ancient Indian texts like the Maha Upanishad that promotes unity, interconnectedness, and a sense of shared responsibility for the planet and all its inhabitants. We are one among millions of species which share this beautiful blue planet with us. There is a lot we can learn from flora and fauna around us. We have to have a peaceful co-existense with all other creatures on this planet. If we do not realise this fact then nature will find ways to get rid of us. This stand up by George Carlin says it all.
So these are the 10 principles which I have followed in my life. Thought of sharing with all of you so that it can help you bring more clarity. Hope this write up was useful.
